Three cops are expected to appear in court today after they were arrested over the weekend for serious crimes, including drug possession and hijacking.
On Saturday, the Beaufort West District Task Team acted on a tip-off about illegal firearms being transported at 3.15am and they ended up arresting a Diep River SAPS officer.
Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk, says cops stopped and searched the Toyota Verso taxi on the N1 at Beaufort West.
He says the driver was on his way to Murraysburg and cops found among others 2 000 Mandrax tablets and a half a kilo of tik, all valued at just over R226 000.
Van Wyk says: “The drugs were found in the driver’s backpack. The 44-year-old male suspect, who happens to be a SAPS member and stationed at Diep River was arrested for dealing in drugs. He will appear in the Beaufort West Magistrate’s Court this morning.”
Meanwhile, two more officers were also busted on Friday for hijacking and theft.
One was arrested inside Sea Point Police Station and the other was nabbed at the Anti-Gang Unit in Faure.
According to Van Wyk, on 10 August 2022 on the N2 at the Baden Powell Drive off ramp, the off-duty officers allegedly pulled over a truck loaded with abalone.
He says: “It was at about 11.58pm, the truck was transporting abalone to the value of R500 000 from Buffelsjag abalone farm, Hermanus to Cape Town International Airport to be exported. The two crew members were approached by two marked police vehicles with sirens and flashing blue lights, the driver of the truck stopped next to the road.”
Van Wyk says the cops, all dressed in police uniform, robbed the two of their cellphones, a rifle and a handgun. They were later dropped in a bushy area in Mitchells Plain, while the truck was found at Wolfgat Nature Reserve with all the perly removed.
The police vans’ aerial vehicle location and cops’ cellphone records place them at the different scenes.
Van Wyk says: “The SAPS members will appear in Somerset West Magistrate’s Court this morning.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za