Gauteng: Police bust 50 suspected illegal miners in Roodepoort
Following a raid in Roodepoort, 50 suspects were arrested for suspected illegal mining after being found with tools used for illegal mining along with suspected gold bearing material and mercury.
Gauteng police commissioner Elias Mawela led Operation Shanela in Roodepoort on 17 August 2023. Police arrested 50 suspected illegal miners in Roodepoort and confiscated tools use for illegal mining.
According to SAPS, since May, this operation resulted in over 50,000 arrests for crimes like murder, rape, and illegal firearm possession.
The initiative included stop-and-searches, roadblocks, patrols, suspect tracing, liquor outlet and second-hand goods dealer inspections. The South African Police Service (Saps) and other agencies joined Mawela in Roodepoort.
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50 SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR ILLEGAL MINING BY GAUTENG POLICE
According to SAPS, 50 suspects were arrested for suspected illegal mining after being found with tools used for mining along with suspected gold bearing material and mercury.
#sapsGP Police arrested fifty suspected illegal miners in Roodepoort and confiscated tools use for #IllegalMining, suspected gold bearing material and mercury. NP pic.twitter.com/MsIqeTBGL4
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) August 17, 2023
Gauteng police commissioner Mawela spearheaded Operation Shanela, conducting door-to-door searches for weapons, illegal items, suspects, and illegal mining.
The Gauteng police carried out a raid at an abandoned mine in the area, dismantling and disrupting all illegal mining operations in the area.
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The commissioner led a convoy of police vehicles, including tanks and trucks, along R558 highway to initiate the operation.
Crime rates surged in Roodepoort recently, urging heightened police presence to address the issues of both rising crime and illegal mining in abandoned sites.
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VEHICLES CHECKED FOR COMPLIANCE DURING OPERATION
Police asserted that increased personnel are crucial to combat criminal activity. The officers organised on the highway near Leratong Village, checking vehicles for compliance.
Stolen cars from the region often used the Kagiso-Soweto-Lenasia route, prompting vigilance.Tracker officials, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department on horseback, and police tanks joined the operation.
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Later, the police brigade focused on illegal mining sites.