Anti-kidnapping units making 'commendable progress' in rescuing victims, says Masemola

National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola believes the anti-kidnapping units at national and provincial level are making inroads. 

He said the recent arrests and successful rescuing of victims shows the units are doing well. He was talking during Operation Shanela in Kempton Park on Thursday. 

“Yesterday [Wednesday] we arrested eight people where we confiscated drugs in Fourways worth over R300m. That syndicate is also involved in kidnappings. We think we are arresting the right people,” he said. 

He said police were liaising with their counterparts in other Sadc countries because some of the kingpins were in neighbouring countries.

“We are liaising with them so that they can assist to arrest those people who are responsible. We are indeed making inroads.”  

In kidnappings where ransom was the motive, the teams in each province were able to make “commendable progress” in rescuing victims and taking down these syndicates, he said.

In the latest kidnapping, the Hawks rescued a Gqeberha businessman and investigations were continuing, while two weeks ago 14 suspects including three Chinese nationals, two Mozambicans and nine South Africans were arrested in various parts of Johannesburg. In this case, a Zimbabwean businessman was rescued in Diepkloof, Soweto. 

In the past two years, more than 250 kidnappers of various nationalities have been arrested and more than 20 businessmen rescued. 

On takedowns linked to serious violent crimes, Masemola said police have established and beefed up cash-in-transit task teams, particularly in the Eastern Cape.

In this province, there were several CITs in July. In the past month, 13 CIT robbers were arrested while six suspects were fatally wounded during a confrontation with police. 

“In the latest incident, five suspects linked to a cash-in-transit armed robbery that happened on Monday this week were traced to their hideout in Keiskammahoek in the Eastern Cape a few hours after robbing a cash van of an undisclosed amount of money between East London and Macleantown on the N6,” he said. 

He said they have also made a breakthrough with the arrest of at least 10 suspects linked to ATM bombings in Gauteng.

Eight of the suspects were intercepted in Katlehong, Thokoza and Soweto in Gauteng while another two were traced to Senekal in the Free State.

“These arrests were effected with the assistance of our partners in the banking sector and key stakeholders in the fight against crime. These suspects are being linked to more than 20 ATM bombings that took place in Soweto and the East Rand,” Masemola said.   

He said through intelligence-led operations, police were intercepting large quantities and consignments of drugs and gangs with links to transnational organised crime.

“In a recent success this week, a drug mule was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday morning as he arrived from Brazil. Police were following up on information that the 38-year-old Brazilian national was on an identified flight and was carrying drugs.”  

As the aircraft landed, police swooped and searched the aircraft where they found cocaine worth R1m in a toilet.

During Operation Shanela 21,161 criminals were arrested for dealing in drugs while 64,351 were arrested for being in possession of drugs.

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