Hundreds nabbed in Blue Downs as cops crack down

A TOTAL of 455 people had been arrested for various crimes in the Blue Downs police cluster in one week, police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk said yesterday.

In a breakdown of the arrests, Van Wyk said: “Two hundred and forty-five suspects were arrested on charges relating to murder, attempted murder, common assault, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, drunk driving, reckless and negligent driving and possession of dangerous weapons.”

These arrests also included malicious damage to property, housebreaking and theft, possession of illegal firearms, dealing in liquor without a licence, theft of motor vehicle, intimidation, house robbery, child neglect, rape and sexual assault, Van Wyk added.

Referring to an additional 210 arrests related to possession of drugs, Van Wyk said they were made during the police operations in which they had searched houses for illegal drugs.

He said 1 135 litres of alcohol were confiscated.

Mandrax tablets with an approximate street value of R4 240 and tik valued at R12360, as well as dagga valued at R9000, had also been confiscated.

He said police arrested 35 wanted suspects who were caught as a result of 21 tracing operations. Another 19 suspects who had committed crimes such as being drunk in public or engaging in riotous behaviour had been kept overnight and released after paying fines.