Eight held in festive season crackdown

JOINT festive season operations have seen eight people arrested for a range of crimes, including murder, over a 24-hour period.

Police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the arrests had been made on Wednesday and yesterday.

They were for possession of drugs, murder, attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. The latest arrest took place yesterday morning when police raided several homes to execute arrest warrants for suspects in gangrelated shootings.

“Three suspects were arrested for murder and attempted murder for separate incidents,” Naidu said.

On Wednesday, members of the national intervention team – who are dealing specifically with gang violence – searched a drug den in Arcadia.

“A firearm and ammunition was found in the fridge. The owner of the house was arrested on charges of possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition,” Naidu said.

On the same day, visible gang intervention team members recovered a hijacked vehicle at the corner of Nooitgedacht and Old Uitenhage roads in Bethelsdorp, where the car was reportedly hijacked.

Mount Road cluster commander MajorGeneral Funeka Siganga warned that this was the start of several operations aimed at clamping down on crime in the Bay.

Those arrested will appear in their respective district courts today.