Police on Thursday raided an office emblazoned with the branding of football club Bloemfontein Celtic‚ leading to speculation that the Premier Soccer League outfit had been targeted in a SAPS operation.
However‚ this was not the case‚ as police confirmed to TimesLIVE that it was‚ in fact‚ an adjacent office in the same block‚ on Elizabeth Street, Bloemfontein, which was raided.
Officers confiscated soft drinks and beer to the value of R500 000‚ with the goods believed to be destined for illegal miners in Welkom.
Mangaung police spokesman Captain Chaka Marupe said police received information from crime intelligence sources that there were suspected stolen items in the building. Although the club occupies a small section of the property – from where it sells match day tickets – the building is adorned with a huge Bloemfontein Celtic banner.
Marupe was adamant that the confiscated items were not found at the Celtic offices.
Attempts to get comment from the club on Thursday night were unsuccessful.
“Police arrived in the building and went to the office apartments and found a large consignment of soft drink packages and also packages of beers in cans. It is believed these packages were destined to be delivered to illegal miners in Welkom‚” Marupe said. “Police are investigating and no arrests have been made.”
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