The highly successful provincial Operation Vala uMgodi had a successful week which included the arrest of an illegal immigrant in possession of an unlawful and unlicensed firearm, three illegal miners apprehended, and the arrest of two men in possession of presumably stolen property.
On Friday, 14 February, operatives who work under this operation arrested a 21-year-old foreign national in possession of an illegal/unlicensed firearm at the F-Hostel in Thabong.
The team found a black Arcus 98DA semi-automatic pistol, hidden inside the drawer of a closet. The prohibited firearm was loaded with a magazine and 15 rounds of 9 mm live ammunition.
On Wednesday 12 February, three suspects (aged 27, 33 and 47 years) were arrested in the middle of illegal mining activities on an open veld near Hamlet Street, St Helena, Welkom, and at the Smarties Location in Thabong.
Gold-bearing material weighing at 15.24 kg and equipment such as garden spades and shovels were seized. Case dockets of possession of suspected gold-bearing material and processing equipment, with an additional charge of contravention of the Immigration Act were opened at the Welkom and Thabong Police Stations.
Operation activities involving the police and private security companies enabled the arrest of three more illegal underground miners.
The joint team recovered yellow cone pack explosives, a grinder, welding machine, medicine, tobacco, cellular telephones with SIM cards, and foodstuffs. The 55-year-old illegal miner was also found in possession of dagga.
Two more illegal miners were arrested at the Beatrix 1 Mine. The suspects, aged 22 and 33 years, allegedly went underground illegally during August 2024. Cellular phones (Huawei and Oppo A16s) with incriminating information were confiscated for further investigation.
A case docket of trespassing in a mine area with added charges of attempted theft of precious state minerals, and contravention of the Immigration Act was opened at the Theunissen police station.
On Saturday, 8 February, two males were found in possession of heavy steel cut-offs in Mangosuthu Street, Thabong.
Members of Operation Vala uMgodi Tactical Operational Center (Tacjoc) in the Free State received a tip-off from private media colleagues about the possible destruction of valuable infrastructure in Dagbreek, Welkom.
The Tacjoc members followed up the information, and the identified Maroon Ford Ranger double cab traveling along Mangosuthu Street. The police stopped and searched the vehicle and found 20 cut-off of heavy-duty steel pylon struts weighing 523 kg were loaded at the back of the Ford Ranger. They also found miscellaneous tools.
Two African men, aged 41 and 62 years, were immediately placed under arrest. A case docket of possession of presumably stolen property, tampering, damaging and/or destroying essential infrastructure with an additional charge of contravention of the Immigration Act was opened at the Thabong Police Station.
More charges were opened against the driver in terms of the National Road Traffic Act 93/96, as he failed to produce valid driver’s license and also failed to license the motor vehicle accordingly.
