Of the cases reported on by police between the first and the fifth of January, roughly over 20 people were arrested on firearm-, drug-, fraud- and robbery-related charges.

One of the biggest busts of the week was on Friday, 5 January 2024, in the Cape Town city centre. Fourteen foreign nationals were apprehended at a hotel, and found with various tech equipment, bank cards and fraudulent identity books. The police’s Joseph Swartbooi says they are suspected to have paid for the hotel with fraudulent bank cards. He noted that “the five males and nine females were arrested on a charge of fraud”.

Throughout the week, arrests were made in Samora Machel, Mitchells Plain and Delft for the possession of an unlicensed or prohibited firearms and ammunition.

There were about five people nabbed on drug-related charges – starting in Hanover Park, where two men were arrest on Tuesday, 2 January, after being found with a consignment of methamphetamine. On the same day, in Khayelitsha and Harare, a woman and man in their 40s were apprehended for the possession of unidentified drugs. Toward the end of the week, a further three people in the 20s, were arrested in Muizenberg and Illitha Park (near Khayelitsha) for dealing in drugs.

As the week came to a close, police intercepted a business robbery in the Tulbagh area – resulting in the arrest of two men, and the confiscation of an imitation firearm and the stolen goods.

“Whilst patrolling the Provincial R46 road they located the vehicle which resulted in a high speed chase. The chase came to a halt when the police members stopped the vehicle near to Riebeeck Kasteel. They searched the occupants and the vehicle and, in the process confiscated an imitation firearm, and goods, presumed to be the stolen property.”

Later that day, City of Cape Town traffic officers also assisted in police efforts, when they apprehended two suspects believed to be involved in a shooting incident in Eerste River.  Traffic Services spokesperson, Kevin Jacobs, says the 21- and 23-year-old suspects were detained by Kleinvlei police, and face attempted murder and firearm-related charges.

“At 17:00, officers were alerted by occupants in a taxi of a vehicle involved in a shooting incident. The officers stopped the vehicle – a white Chevrolet Spark – on the R102 between Buttskop road and the Welmoed cemetery in Eersteriver. They recovered a C7 pistol with 9 rounds of ammunition and a Glock Pistol with 3 rounds of ammunition.”