The Police in Limpopo through Operation Vala Umgodi have arrested a 33-year-old male suspect for possession of illicit drugs at Ga-Maroga village outside Burgersfort Sekhukhune District.
It is reported that the Multidisciplinary Forces comprising the South African Police Service, the South African National Defence Force, Department of Mineral Resources and Energy as well as Department of Home Affairs during their tour of Operation Vala Umgodi on Saturday 03 February 2024 at about 17:00 have operationalised information gathered and subsequently pounced on a man at Ga-Maroga village in Moeng section in possession of illicit drugs.
It is reported that the suspect was found with twenty-six sachets of nyaope and twenty sachets of rock and carrying a knife in his pocket of the trouser.
In another incident, three male suspects aged 33 and 23 were nabbed while digging precious metals underground at Muchipisi illegal mining sites outside Malamula in Vhembe District.
Meanwhile at Lebowakgomo in the Capricorn District a 23-year-old male was found carrying eleven sachets of nyaope on Sunday 04 February 2024.
The total amount of the drugs confiscated is estimated at R3000 with street value.
The Police confiscated mining equipment that included 6 x shovel, 5 picks, 6x spades, 2x electrical motor machine and 3x hammers, 3x electrical cables, 1x map gas, and 7x head lamps at an illegal mining sites in the Vhembe and Capricorn Districts and seized cash amount of R11400,00 that was found in possession by illegal miners at Muchipisi.
In Waterberg and Vhembe Districts, a total number of five foreign nationals were arrested for contravention of immigration act on Sunday 04 February 2024 during execution of the planned Operation Vala Umgodi.
The suspects are expected to appear before various Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday 06 February 2024.
Concerted efforts to prevent illegal mining through Operation Vala Umgodi continue to yield remarkable successes https://t.co/8lcO4Nvf4y#ArriveAlive #IllegalMining #Operations @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/lQGPmMfO6U
– Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) February 5, 2024