Cape Town - Cape Town’s specialised crime units have confiscated drugs worth millions of rand and arrested more than 100 suspects in the city’s most dangerous areas since the start of the year.
Since its launch, the gang unit has arrested 115 suspects in nine months - most of which have been in one of the city’s gang hot spots, Hanover Park. Cape Town’s gang unit works on profiling suspected gang leaders, with a mandate to control violence in crime-ridden areas.
The unit has also been at the forefront of major drug busts. But the biggest haul came from the city’s substance abuse unit, which discovered R24 million worth of cocaine in a container at a cold storage facility in Montague Gardens during a bust earlier this year.
According to the latest crime statistics, drug-related crime in the Western Cape is on the rise.
The drug trade is closely aligned with gangs. The city plans to beef up the gang unit in the next few months.
It will also work closely with SAPS intelligence on operations targeting gang leaders.
JP Smith the mayoral committee member for safety and security, said from June the unit had been deployed in Bonteheuwel, Bishop Lavis, Elsies River and Manenberg. Members also worked in Manenberg, Blikkiesdorp and Delft.
Manenberg has the highest number of drug dens and illegal shebeens operating from city-owed houses. This is according to written responses from the city to questions from ANC councillor Jeremia Thuysnma. There are 85 properties like this in Manenberg.
In Belhar, there are 34 houses being used for illegal activities and 39 in Mitchells Plain. Other areas include Athlone, Hanover Park, Heideveld, Parkwood and Ottery.
Smith explained that the city was still waiting for many of the cases to go to court. Drugs confiscated were sent to the forensic lab where they were being analysed. He said the charges ranged from possession of firearms, ammunition and drugs.
In the past three months, officers confiscated R50 000 worth of tik and R15 000 worth of mandrax.
In Strandfontein, R24 000 worth of tik and heroin with a value of R6 000 was confiscated. But its single largest confiscation took place in July.
During just one bust, officers from the city’s substance abuse unit found R24m worth of cocaine in a container at a cold storage facility in Montague Gardens. The drugs were handed to Milnerton police and organised crime is investigating the case.
Smith said the gang unit would be expanding in the next few months.
Cape Argus