JOHANNESBURG: Police efforts and visibility are paying off after police seized drugs and arrested four suspects who were found in possession of drugs and an unlicensed firearm in Westbury.
This comes after a resurgence in gang-related violence in the area claimed the lives of two people and resulted in the shooting and injury of at least 13 people in the past two weeks.
The incidents were reportedly sparked by the recent shooting of the feared leader of the Fast Guns gang, Keenan Ebrahim, who was shot dead in broad daylight while driving on William Nicol in Constantia Kloof, Johannesburg, over two weeks ago.
His murder was preceded by the killing of a 50-year-old woman believed to have been connected to the ongoing gang violence in Eldorado Park and Westbury.
On Tuesday, Minister Bheki Cele, in the company of his deputy, Cassel Charlie Mathale and Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, vowed to leave no stone unturned in ridding the area of criminals, including drug dealers, drug lords and hired killers who terrorise innocent people.
Cele subsequently deployed the services of the special task force known as Amabherete, TRT, NIU, the K9 Unit and other crime-fighting units to the area as part of his strategy to fight crime in the area, with police spokesperson Dimakatso Sello confirming in a statement that the latest arrests were the work of these co-ordinated efforts.
On Wednesday, a day after the crime prevention imbizo held at the Westbury Recreation Centre, Sello said the teams deployed in the area were making progress in recovering unlicensed firearms and arresting drug dealers.
"Four suspects were arrested in Westbury after they were found in possession of an unlicensed firearm, ammunition and drugs.
"On March 8, the members of the Sophiatown Crime Prevention Unit and members of the National Intervention Unit, as well as members of the Tactical Response Team, received information about alleged illegal activities at a certain flat in Westbury. Members swiftly acted on the information, and upon searching the said flat, four men were found with an unlicensed firearm, six live rounds of ammunition, as well as 49 zip-lock plastic bags of crystal meth and 34 zip-lock bags of dagga," Sello said.
Sello said the arrested suspects were expected to appear before a magistrate's court soon on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, live ammunition, and dealing in drugs.
During the imbizo, Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant- General Elias Mawela reiterated his stance that the deployed members would leave no stone unturned to ensure that all those who continued to victimise the community of Westbury were put behind bars.
"I am pleased with the successful operations in Westbury and the arrest of those who are in possession of unlicensed firearms that are used in the commission of serious and violent crimes. The teams will continue to patrol every street and every passage of Sophiatown until the area is stabilised," Mawela said after the arrests.
The Star