In the ongoing fight against illegal mining, the Serious Organised Crime Unit members in Rustenburg arrested a 29-year-old man on Thursday 2 July 2020, during an intelligence driven operation.
It is reported that the multi-disciplinary team including Department of Mineral Resources (DMRE) descended on a farm at Witrantjies Village. The team proceeded to the site where illegal chrome mining allegedly takes place. On their arrival at the site the team found the suspect with a mined stockpile of chrome weighing 136 tons with an estimated street value of R1,2 million.
The suspect had previously been warned by DMRE members not to mine without environmental authorization or mining permit from DMRE but ignored the warning and continued with illegal activities.
The suspect will appear in the Mogwase Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 6 July 2020, to face charges of contravention of the National Environmental Management Act and illegal mining of chrome as per the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act.
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