Two suspects aged 23 and 22 will appear in the Vereeniging Magistrate Court on 24 May 2023, for operating an illegal gold refinery in contravention of the Precious Metals Act 37 of 2005. They were arrested on 21 May 2023 in one of the plots in Walkers Fruit Farms, De Deur.
The Sedibeng K9 members met a heavily intoxicated person who was provoking other people on the street at Walkers Fruit Farms. They stopped and took the man to his place. On arrival, they found the duo busy processing gold-bearing material in one of the outside rooms to which they were drawn by the sound of the machinery. The police also found more gold-bearing material valued at approximately R800 000-00, near their processing room. Furthermore, five pendukas were also found as well as a 19 kg gas cylinder and two small bottles of mercury.
Members of the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team from Vaal Rand were called to the scene as role players together with the Forensic Science Laboratory from Pretoria…
