Operation Vala Umgodi nets seven suspects in Kimberley

A TARGETED police operation aimed at stamping out illegal mining in the Frances Baard District led to the arrest of seven suspects recently, as law enforcement tightened its grip on illicit activities in the region.

The Northern Cape’s multi-disciplinary Operation Vala Umgodi task team launched a series of interventions on March 1 focusing on hot spots for illegal mining and related offences.

Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam said that the operation yielded multiple arrests, including that of a 27-year-old foreign national woman in Greenpoint, Kimberley. She was taken into custody on charges of drug dealing, with authorities set to process her case through the Department of Home Affairs.

Meanwhile, a 55-year-old suspect was arrested in Lerato Park for possession of drugs, further tightening the net on illicit substances circulating in the area.

At the Otties Koppie mining dumps, three more individuals - aged 30, 40, and 47 - were apprehended for illegal mining and trespassing. Mining equipment was seized as part of the crackdown.

During the busts, the police also confiscated a stash of drugs, including dagga, mandrax and tik, alongside various mining implements.

All arrested suspects are expected to appear in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court.

The operation also saw two additional suspects detained and fined for riotous behaviour and contraventions of the Road Traffic Management Act.

Authorities have urged the public to play an active role in curbing illegal mining by reporting any suspicious activity to the SAPS Crime Stop hotline at 08600 10111.

“If you see something, say something,” Sergeant Sam emphasised.