Concerted efforts to address serious and violent crimes as well as the enforcement of Level 4 Lockdown regulations led to the arrest of 205 suspects on various offences in the Eden Cluster. The weekend crime combatting operations commenced on Friday morning (2021-07-16) and it includes patrols in crime stricken areas, blue light patrols, roadblocks, vehicle check points as well as focused operations at known drug and liquor outlets.

A total of 79 suspects were arrested for reported crimes whilst Level 4 Lockdown contraventions resulted in the arrest of 124 suspects.

On Friday, 16 July 2021 vigilant members attached to the Eden Cluster Crime Combatting Team and Tsitsikamma K9 were strategically deployed at a road block at the Tollgate near Plettenberg Bay where they arrested two suspects on charges of dealing in drugs as well as the transportation of liquor respectively. These forces confiscated a substantial quantity of liquor and 2.24 kilogram of dagga. Fines to the value of R8600 were also issued for contraventions in terms of the Disaster Management Act regulations as well as traffic offences at the roadblock.

On Saturday, 17 July 2021 at about 14:30 members were patrolling the streets of Thembalethu in George when they received a tipoff about the sale of liquor at a tavern at Zone 9. An operation at the premises resulted in the arrest of two suspects aged 32 and 38 on a charge of selling of liquor without a licence each. The police confiscated a small quantities of liquor.

Meanwhile, on the same day (2021-07-17) members attached to the Plettenberg Bay Crime Prevention unit operationalised information on illegal drug activities when they pounced on a house at Bossiesgif (Plettenberg Bay). Upon searching the premises they found 9 Tik straws and an undisclosed amount of cash in the possession of a man. They confiscated the drugs and arrested the 38 year old suspect on a charge of dealing in drugs.

Furthermore, Detectives deployed to focus on serious and violent crimes arrested a 34-year-old suspect on a charge of murder at Mossel bay on Saturday, 17 July 2021. Information available indicates that the body of a man, in his early fifties, was found with multiple stab wounds near the R327 road just outside Mossel Bay. The police later arrested the suspect. He remains in custody.

All arrested will appear in various courts once charged.

Source: South African Police Service