KING WILLIAMS TOWN – Stabilisation and visibility operations in the province continue to bring more suspects to book. This is after all the Station Commanders in the province gathered in the Port Alfred Cluster for the Provincial Management Forum (PMF). As a norm, preceding the PMF all the Station Commanders conduct visibility operations in the area. The operations were conducted in the Moyeni, Alexandra / Kenton on Sea, Nemato, Port Alfred, Bell and Hamburg policing areas.
Stabilisation and visibility operations were preceded by the raiding of wanted suspects by Detectives Operation which led to the arrest of 15 suspects for various crimes ranging from assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (10), attempted murder (2), house breaking (1), possession of suspected stolen property (1) and one suspect for assault common.
• At Moyeni: high visibility was maintained at seven (7) villages. Three (3) taverns were visited but were found to be licensed. Twenty three (23) persons and fifteen (15) vehicles were searched.
• At Alexandria / Kenton on Sea: 88 vehicles were stopped and searched and fines to the value of R6 500. 00 were issued. Five (5) taverns were visited and two (2) fines were issued for non-compliance with trading hours. 35 persons were searched.
• At Nemato, a Vehicle Check Point was set up to eliminate the proliferation of stolen vehicles. 68 vehicles were stopped and inspected. Traffic fines to the value of R3 500-00 were issued. 85 people were searched and 11 taverns and farms were visited.
• While police were operating at Port Alfred, a case of assault common was opened and the suspect was immediately arrested. 52 persons were searched and six (6) knives were confiscated. Twelve vehicles were stopped and searched.
• At Bell and Hamburg four (4) taverns were visited and one (1) was closed. Liquor to the value of R 15 000.00 was seized. Three (3) knives were confiscated during the search of 40 persons. Fifteen (15) vehicles were also stopped and searched. Dangerous weapons including knobkerries were also seized.
Some of the suspects have already appeared in the Port Alfred Magistrate’s Court and others will be appearing soon.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga applauded members for their participation in the crime-fighting operations. “These stabilisation and visibility operations are not only about the successes but about re-affirming the authority of the State and to ensure that while we converge at a cluster, we support that Cluster by making sure that the communities are and feel safe through intensive policing,” she said.
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