MEDIA RELEASE
NO. 618 / 2010
23 AUGUST 2010


This weekend Metro Police officers arrested 34 suspects throughout Cape Town during raids, roadblocks and routine patrols in a continuation of ‘Operation Razor’.

Metro Police officers held roadblocks throughout the city on Saturday 21 August and Sunday 22 August. Four motorists were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol during roadblocks in Claremont and Salt River. In Ocean View, officers arrested 11 suspects for driving drunk, one of suspect for driving with a fraudulent driver’s licence, and two suspects for possession of TIK.

During additional operations in Ocean View, seven suspected drug dens and almost one entire block of flats were searched at Site 5. Eight dagga cigarettes were found abandoned.

On Friday 20 August, Metro Police officers were assisted by the City’s Law Enforcement teams and the South African Police Services in an operation focusing on illegal shebeens in Grassy Park. A number of warning notices were served on owners of illegal shebeens. At one of the premises searched, a suspect was arrested for the possession of narcotics when two bags of dagga and two dagga parcels were found in his possession.

On Friday and Saturday, three suspects were arrested for possession of illegal firearms and ammunition, following raids at suspected drug dens in Somerset West and Table View. Metro Police officers found and confiscated two unlicensed firearms, a Nerinco firearm, a homemade shotgun, and 35 shotgun rounds.

Two more suspects were arrested in Bishop Lavis and Ravensmead on Friday night, when 88 packets of illegal cigarettes and 44 pirated CDs and DVDs were found in their possession.

On Saturday night, five suspects were arrested for possession of narcotics in Somerset West when Metro Police stopped and searched their vehicle during routine patrols. The officers pulled over the vehicle because the five occupants were acting suspiciously. The vehicle was searched and four parcels of dagga were found in a black sports bag in the boot of the vehicle.

“In Atlantis two Metro Police officers were almost run over by a green VW Jetta, after it was involved in a hit and run accident. Our members managed to pull the vehicle over and arrested the driver for attempted murder, reckless and negligent driving, fleeing from the scene of an accident, drunk driving and resisting arrest. The other four occupants were arrested and charged with riotous behaviour when they became hostile after being approached by our members,” said Metro Police Deputy Chief, Yolanda Faro.

“Metro Police will not tolerate unsafe driving habits or illegal drug use, and we will continue to clamp down on these areas for the safety of others,” said Deputy Chief Faro.


END

ISSUED BY: COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT, CITY OF CAPE TOWN

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
YOLANDA FARO
DEPUTY CHIEF: METRO POLICE
TEL: 021 427 5124 CELL: 082 046 2062

NOWELLEN PETERSEN
MEDIA LIAISON OFFICER: METRO POLICE
TEL: 021 400 1752 CELL: 074 619 6449