| 2024/03/18 |
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Media Statement
WESTERN CAPE – In light of recent shooting incidents that occurred on some parts of the Cape Flats, Western Cape police have bolstered deployments at identified hotspots from Sunday afternoon. The additional deployments in the form of members from the Anti-Gang Unit, Tactical Response Teams, Operation Lockdown II, Operation Restore and Public Order Police have descended on identified locations on the Cape Flats where they execute operations, search and seizures, stop and search operations, roadblocks, raids and tracing operations. The intervention follows incidents where murder and attempted murders cases registered indicate a spike in shooting incidents that saw a significant number of individuals shot in Mitchell’s Plain, Bishop Lavis, Philippi, Ravensmead and Elsie’s River. With other law enforcement agencies such as the City of Cape Town’s Metro police, LEAP officials and scores of community volunteers, the SAPS is on high alert and determined to restore calm in the identified hotspots. From ongoing operations conducted a significant number illegal firearms and large quantities of rounds of ammunition are confiscated with suspects arrested on a weekly basis. Recently, capacity at the provincial Anti-Gang Unit was enhanced by 47 members and an additional 100 members from Operation Lockdown II came from other provinces to assist in reducing serious violent crimes in Cape Town. In a coordinated manner, armed with intelligence they execute operational actions where it is most required. On Sunday evening a contingent deployed in Elsies River apprehended a 50-year-old suspect and confiscated 50 9mm rounds of ammunition and over 400 mandrax tablets. In that operation the arresting officials came under attack from community members and shots were fired. The matter is the subject of an IPID investigation. Earlier today, Monday 18 March 2024 at 08:45, members of Lentegeur Detectives Serious and Violent Crimes Unit conducted patrols in the Woodlands area to quell the ongoing gang violence in the area. The member accosted and searched a group of suspected gang member and found an unlicensed firearm, 16 rounds of Ammunition, 18 and a half Mandrax tablet and an amount of cash on one of the suspects. The suspect was arrested on the spot and will appear in the Mitchells Plain Magistrates’ Court on 20 March 2024 for charges related to the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition as well as drugs.
A humble plea is made to affected communities to report crime occurring in their communities.
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