Photo: Pixabay
Police smash gold processing ring; 7 arrested, nuggets worth R400k seized
Police arrested seven suspects for allegedly illegally processing gold at a house in Khuma Location near Stilfontein, Northwest on Thursday.
Photo: Pixabay
Seven suspects were arrested for the illegal possession of gold and gold bearing material in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, North West on Thursday, 24 June. A multidisciplinary police team pounced on the suspects after receiving a tip off.
SUSPECTS FOUND WITH GOLD NUGGETS WORTH R400 000
The district’s Illegal Mining Team and Tactical Response Team (TRT) worked with the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit to apprehend the seven suspects at the Khuma Location near Stilfontein on Thursday.
“The suspects were nabbed after the members received and operationalised information about people who were allegedly processing gold at a certain house at Extension 6 in Khuma,” said police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani.
When police arrived at the house in question they found seven suspects in possession of gold bearing material. They also discovered four gold nuggets worth an estimated R400 000 on the street along with four cutting torches, 20 hand tools, five gas cylinders, an oxygen cylinder, mercury, 600 batteries and an undisclosed amount of cash after searching the property.
Funani said the suspects – aged between 18 and 45 – are expected to appear before the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 25 June 2021, where they will face charges of illegal possession of gold and possession of gold bearing material.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) is continuing the investigation. Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, the provincial police commissioner of the North West, lauded the members for a “sterling job” and vowed that criminals will not be able to walk free in the province, according to Funani.
