Cape Town – Twenty arrests made during illegal street racing operations in the Athlone/Mitchells Plain/M3 areas included a driver with a breath sample more than four times the legal limit.
Seven of the 10 drivers arrested for reckless and negligent driving on Saturday were taken into custody in the Mitchells Plain area.
The Metro Police Department arrested 12 motorists for driving under the influence of alcohol and 12 suspects for various crimes, including the possession of suspected stolen property, drugs, possession of an imitation firearm, dealing and possession of tik and being in possession of a dangerous weapon. Officers also arrested one suspect for domestic violence.
On the roads, the City’s traffic officers arrested, among others, 115 suspects, impounded 95 vehicles and issued 4 474 fines for various other offences, which comprised 67 driving while under the influence; 27 outstanding warrants; 15 reckless and negligent driving.
"So much of our resources are spent policing the actions of a minority who are hell-bent on breaking the law and putting the lives of other road users in jeopardy.
"Things like illegal street racing and drunk driving do not happen accidentally; they are conscious decisions made by the individuals involved and their poor choices become our problem," said Safety and Security mayoral committee member JP Smith.
The Metro Police K9 Unit sniffed out drugs worth more than R55 000 at Parksig Villas in Bellville yesterday afternoon. The bust was one of several operational successes by the City’s enforcement agencies in the last week.
Just before 3pm, officers followed up on information about drug dealing at the building, the City said.
"Troy and Savage scanned the area around the property and found drugs hidden under vehicles parked outside. The dogs also positively indicated a second spot where drugs were hidden underground."
Thanks to the dogs’ efforts, their handlers recovered:
– 298 bankies of dagga, with an estimated street value of R16 550
– 32 dagga cigarettes with an estimated street value of R160
– 13 mandrax tablets with an estimated street value of R390
– 202,88 grams of tik with an estimated street value of R10 144
– 18,29 grams of cocaine with an estimated street value of R30 000
All of the confiscated drugs was booked in at Bellville police station as abandoned.
"Parksig Villas has long been a concern, which is why our staff keep returning to the location to conduct search operations.
"For K9 Savage, it is a happy hunting ground, because it is the third discovery that he has been involved in over the past six weeks, including finding a stash hidden in a tree outside the building in mid-May.
"While these drug discoveries yielded no arrests, it’s made life more difficult for the dealers and it also underscores the important role of our K9 officers in the Metro Police ranks.
"The drugs would likely have gone undetected without their skills to sniff out the ever-more creative hideaway spots that dealers come up with," said Smith.