Equipment valued at around R1 million was seized during police operations to combat illegal mining in the Kleinzee area in Namaqualand and will be sold on auction in Kimberley.
EQUIPMENT valued at around R1 million was seized during police operations to combat illegal mining in the Kleinzee area in Namaqualand and will be sold on auction in Kimberley.
During a media briefing on Wednesday, the regional head of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, advocate KJA Ntimutse, indicated that a substantial amount of equipment and money was recovered from foreign nationals during the police raids on illegal mining operations.
“The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) aims to identify and prosecute the heads of syndicates who are enabling illegal miners. All property owned by and in the possession of these kingpins will be seized,” said Ntimutse.
The acting deputy provincial commissioner for Crime Detection, Major-General Jacques Raymond stated that the policing of illicit mining was a national priority and perpetrators would be prosecuted.
He reiterated that the harbouring and enabling of undocumented foreign nationals would not be tolerated.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Cherelle Ehlers said a delegation led by the NPA and the SAPS also visited the AK-64 mining area where over 800 illegal miners were arrested during September 2023.
