Durban - A 62-year-old farmer and 97 illegal miners have been arrested following a multi-disciplinary sting at a Heidelberg farm.
Police spokesperson, Colonel Athlenda Mathe, said a team of specialised units swooped on the Gauteng property following information about illegal mining.
"Upon further interrogation and inspection, the team seized mining equipment and implements as well as also discovered that all the suspects between the ages of 18 and 35 are all Lesotho nationals and majority were in the country illegally," she said.
Police seized 570 rounds of ammunition which will be sent for ballistic testing to determine if they had been used in previous crimes.
Mathe added that the farmer was found with illegal ammunition and gold bearing equipment.
"All suspects will appear before the Heidelberg Magistrate's Court on a charge of illegal mining, being in the country illegally, human trafficking, possession of explosives and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition,“ Mathe said.
She added that the team responsible for this latest success include members of the National Intervention Unit, Tactical Response Teams, Public Order Police, crime intelligence and detectives, bomb disposal specialists as well as private stakeholders.
Members of the public are encouraged to report any illicit activities to the Crime Stop Hotline number on 0860010111 and the MySAPSApp. All information will be treated with confidentiality.
IOL