Cape Town - An operation to intercept prison contraband at the Khayelitsha Magistrates' Court cells, in search of cellphones and other prohibited items, has yielded success.
A joint operation between SAPS officers and the province’s Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (Leap) officers led to numerous contraband items being seized.
Among the items found were three parcels of dagga, 344 mandrax tablets, three bags of tik and six SIM cards.
The contraband was sealed in forensic bags and booked with the SAPS.
“The interception of the contraband, in this joint operation with SAPS, is very good news. We see that our Leap officers are making a significant contribution in supporting the work of SAPS,” said Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz.
“If you think about it, out of searching a few people in cells, 344 mandrax tablets are found. That means there were very little controls. But not anymore. We are sending criminals back to the drawing board.”
In a separate incident, while on patrol on Tuesday evening in Delft, Leap officers saw and confronted a suspicious individual. Upon investigation, they discovered a loaded revolver in front of his abdomen, the serial number of which had been removed.
The suspect was arrested for being in possession of a prohibited firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.
Fritz added: “The discovery of this prohibited firearm is a significant success. I’ve said it before: when our officers confiscate an illegal firearm, they avert an unknown number of crimes.
“The proliferation of illegal firearms is a major problem in the Western Cape, but every confiscation is a step towards solving precisely that problem.”
For the week 26 April to 2 May 2021, consolidated Leap successes include the confiscation of a 4-pound hammer, a 5-pound hammer, a concrete chisel and a crowbar.
A total of 3 830 persons were searched, 287 vehicles were searched, 32 arrests were made for possession of drugs, 18 for possession of dangerous weapons and four for other offences.
“If somebody is caught with tools: hammers, a chisel, a crowbar; it means they have now debilitated somebody who was otherwise working or even self-employed, and in the process, they have robbed a household of an income,” Fritz said.
“These are the real, concrete effects of crime. It doesn’t build up, it breaks down.
”I am informed that 45 joint operations were conducted with the SAPS. This is a clear indication of increasing levels of co-operation between the SAPS and law enforcement at an operational level.
“And if you look at the figures, things are really gaining momentum. In tandem with our violence-prevention strategies in our Provincial Recovery Plan, I am very optimistic that we will see an increase in safety in our province in the near future.
“I want to thank SAPS and the City of Cape Town, and especially our Leap Officers, for the excellent work they are doing.”