Eastern Cape police crack down on poachers
Five men will appear in the Humansdorp magistrate's court on Friday after they were caught in possession of perlemoen worth R250,000.
While on the other side of the province, three suspects will appear in Komani magistrate's court on Monday on charges of possession and/or dealing in drugs and perlemoen.
Police spokesperson Capt Marius McCarthy said the five men, aged between 22 and 37 years old, were arrested in Jeffreys Bay on Thursday.
'Dedicated members attached to a multidisciplinary abalone task team, operating in the Kouga municipal area, successfully executed an intelligence driven, waylay operation in targeted areas along the Jeffrey's Bay coastline.
'According to reports a group of suspected abalone poachers were spotted carrying bags, suspected to be filled with abalone.'
He said the police members tactically approached the group and arrested five suspects in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act.
Meanwhile an intelligence driven multidisciplinary tactical operation by Komani dog unit (K9), Komani crime intelligence and Red Guard Security guards, led to the arrest of three people, aged between 26 and 45, on Thursday evening.
Police spokesperson Capt Yolisa Mgolodela said police received information at about 6pm about a white Toyota Starlet sedan with a GP registration number that was transporting abalone and crystal meth (tik) from East London to Gauteng via Komani.
'The joint team spotted the vehicle that matched the description at 7.40pm.
'The car with three occupants was stopped on N6 near Komani Hospital.
'The trio tried to evade arrest by running to different directions without success as police swiftly caught up with them.'
Mgolodela said one bag of perlemoen with 212 units weighing 28kg with a street value of more than R50,000, 500g crystal meth (tik) with a street value of more than R150,000 and four cellphones were seized during the arrest.
'The Toyota Starlet, worth more than R520,000, was also seized.'
District commissioner Maj Gen Rudolph Adolph lauded the police members for their swift action and subsequent arrests.
The Herald
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
7 hours ago
- The Herald
Bail application in Walmer double murder case postponed
The formal bail application of two men accused of murdering a Collegiate Girls' High School pupil and her mother will continue on August 29. Alleged hitman Sibulele Mzilikazi, 28, and his co-accused, Siyabonga Ntswahlana, 35, appeared briefly in the Gqeberha magistrate's court on Tuesday, where the matter was postponed to later this month due to the unavailability of one of the defence attorneys. They are accused alongside Luzuko Tsotsi, 31, and Nceba Maji, 44, of murdering Lusanda Coboza, 40, and her daughter, Hailie-Jade, 19, at their Walmer Township home on May 1. Tsotsi and Maji remain in custody, while Mzilikazi and Ntswahlana had brought a fresh bid for bail after previously abandoning their applications. Their matter is part-heard. All four accused have indicated that they will plead not guilty to the double murder. The family had been at home in their Sakhasonke Village, Walmer Township home, when gunmen stormed in and opened fire at about 8.30pm. Coboza and Hailie-Jade died at the scene. The state believes the hit was due to infighting within the taxi industry and that the mother and daughter were not the intended victims. The Herald
The Herald
10 hours ago
- The Herald
Evictions, a missed wedding and IDs up in flames in Germiston
Two people were arrested for arson and rubber bullets were fired to disperse demonstrators in Germiston on Tuesday as police and Ekurhuleni metro police officers responded to a protest over evictions. Firefighters are battling a fire at the home affairs building in the city centre. Gauteng deputy police commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana was on the scene and confirmed the arrests. Officials from Ekurhuleni Housing Company have started evictions at the Pharoe Park residential complex. Trucks are being loaded with residents' belongings. Pillows, beds, electronics, cupboards and sofas and small items are scattered outside the complex. Some residents initially resisted the eviction, with SAPS and metro police responding by firing rubber bullets. Most of the residents in the area ran out of the complex after the commotion. Some people outside the home affairs building said they had travelled far to collect their documents. Anna Molefe from Vosloorus said she left home at 5am on Tuesday. ' When we arrived this morning [the building] was burning and we couldn't get an answer about what was happening. Will we get our ID documents or have they been burned in the fire?' A couple who were supposed to get married at home affairs this morning were disappointed that a date secured two months ago could not be used due to the fire. Promise Nozibele, 32, and Nthabiseng Simelane, 29, were relieved when a home affairs official told them he would arrange with the nearest office for them to get married. The couple, who had been together for the past 12 years, were married in a traditional wedding last November. On Tuesday, as it is Simelane's birthday, the couple took their parents with them to witness their marriage, but arrived to find the building on fire. 'I'm out of words. First, we had planned for this day. We made reservations and now this is happening,' said Similane. She said they made their booking in June, about two months ago.
The Herald
12 hours ago
- The Herald
Suspect arrested after murder of partner and rape of stepdaughter
A 33-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly murdering his 36-year-old partner and raping his 16-year-old stepdaughter in Vhembe District, Limpopo. The suspect allegedly murdered the woman and disposed of her body in a pit toilet at a local school. He remains in police custody and is expected to appear in court soon to face rape and murder charges. Limpopo police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe expressed outrage at the incident, particularly during Women's Month. 'This crime represents the worst of gender-based violence. A man who was supposed to protect his family instead became their worst nightmare. That he would murder a woman and rape her teenage daughter shows the depths of depravity we are fighting,' said Hadebe. Police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said on Sunday at about 2am the suspect allegedly woke the teenager, claiming they needed to search for her mother at taverns in Mundzedzi village. The woman was last seen on Saturday at a local tavern. Ledwaba said after failing to locate the mother, the suspect led the minor to bushes next to the cemetery in Vleifontein where he allegedly raped her. 'The suspect instructed the traumatised teenager to return home. The victim immediately reported the rape to a community member, who contacted police,' he said. The man was arrested after a case of rape was opened and a manhunt launched. Ledwaba said during questioning on Monday, investigators discovered the suspect had allegedly murdered the missing woman and disposed of her body in a pit toilet at a school. 'The body was retrieved with assistance from relevant stakeholders, and the suspect faces an additional charge of murder,' he said. TimesLIVE
