| 2025/03/07 |
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Media Statement FREE STATE – Bubbles from beneath stagnant sewage water attracted vigilant operators to discover new ways of hiding gold processing equipment in G-Hostel, Thabong. Operation Vala uMgodi Combat team was busy with disruptive actions when a hawk eye noticed tips of gas hose pipes submerged inside dirty water. Members started digging up the sewage to investigate the source of the bubbles. During the digging; two nozzles, four red and blue pipes, two green 9kg gas bottles and two black 14kg oxygen gas cylinders were pulled out to the surface. Gold bearing material weighing at 13.06 kilograms was found abandoned by fleeing perpetrators. The police seized the gold bearing material and gold processing equipment, and they were booked in Evidence Management System at Thabong police station. Proactive operators conducted bush patrols in Beatrix Mine Old Shaft 4 and ten undocumented persons were intercepted from descending down the ventilation shaft. The undocumented persons aged between 21 and 46 were then arrested for trespassing on a mine area and contravention of Immigration Act. Still at Beatrix Mine, two male suspects were arrested for attempting to smuggle foodstuffs to the underground illegal miners at Shaft 1. Cash amount of R10 000.00 and two cellphones with incriminating messages were also confiscated for further investigation. Cases of trespassing on a mine area and conspiracy to commit crime were opened at Theunissen police station. The collaboration between the South African Police Service and Private Security Companies further enabled recovery of explosives; 365 light green detonators, 178 red detonators, 15 green detonators, and 19 yellow detonators at Kopanang Mine, which were processed by Bomb Disposal and Explosives Experts Unit. All arrested suspects will appear before court soon.
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