Pretoria - A joint raid, conducted under Operation Fiela, saw 29 people being arrested for various offences in Bloemfontein in the Free State this morning.
Five were arrested for operating a business without valid and proper licenses, 22 people were arrested in terms of the immigration laws for being undocumented persons while two business owners were arrested for selling counterfeit cigarettes.
About 20 boxes of illegal cigarettes valued at R10 000 were seized.
All the arrested suspects are aged between 24 and 52 and have been charged and detained at the Parkweg Police Station.
They are expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate Court soon to face their charges.
The operation was conducted by various police units in the Parkweg Cluster, together with other law enforcement agencies, including the Mangaung Municipality Traffic, Mangaung Municipality law enforcement, officials from Home Affairs, SARS Customs and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
They cordoned off the area and searched around Central Park, raiding identified areas and tracing wanted suspects.
The Provincial Commissioner of the Free State, Lieutenant-General Thabethe Mpembe applauded the results saying the intensified police visibility is a deterrent against criminal activity.
“Criminals must be warned that we will disrupt all their unlawful operations in our continuous effort to maintain peace and stability,” he said, adding that such operations will continue.
Operation Fiela/Reclaim 2015 is a multidisciplinary operation by various state entities to ensure strict compliance with the various laws and regulations governing society. The operation aims to deal with issues of criminality, including illegal weapons, drug dens, prostitution rings and other illegal activities.
The operation, which intensifies the fight against crime, also assists to promote and create a safer and more secure South Africa. – SAnews.gov.za
