Seven suspects arrested for possession of gold bearing material

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Seven suspects have been detained in police custody following their arrest for possession of suspected gold bearing material and processing equipment in Thabong Extension near Welkom.

According to Free State police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane, Operation Vala Umgodi operators executed various sweep operational concepts through flash points in the area on Saturday.

He added that at about 13:15 the team pounced on seven suspects busy washing gold ores from gold bearing sand.

“Gold bearing material weighing at 40.02 kilograms, one self-made phenduka, phenduka stand and seven metal balls thrown inside phenduka to facilitate separation process were seized by the police.

“A case docket of possession of suspected gold bearing material and gold processing equipment with an additional charge of contravention of the immigration act was opened at Thabong police station,” he said.

The suspects are expected to appear in Welkom magistrate court soon.

Meanwhile, police have arrested a male suspect at OR Tambo International Airport bringing a total number of fourteen drug mules to be nabbed at this airport in recent weeks.

This week alone, police arrested three drug mules including two Dutch traffickers who were found with 80kg of Khat, police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk confirmed.

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She said the 43-year-old drug mule from Paraguay had landed from São Paulo when he was arrested by police officials at the airport.

“A medical examination confirmed that he had swallowed multiple foreign objects and has so far released more than 20 bullets suspected to contain cocaine,” van Wyk stated.