LEAP arrest 30 for possession of illicit substances and rail-related crime

LEAP arrest 30 for possession of illicit substances, rail-related crime & possession of ammunition and firearms

The Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, commends the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers, deployed through the Western Cape Safety Plan, on the 30 arrests made between 15 and 21 June. Two arrests were made of persons in possession of illegal ammunitions, one of which was also in possession of an illegal firearm. Nine were in possession of illegal substances and eight were arrested for damage, possession or theft of essential railway infrastructure.

 The law enforcement officers have been deployed in the Tygerberg, Khayelitsha, Southern and Klipfontein hotspots and are assisting in roadblocks, attending to COVID-19 complaints, issuing notices and fines, arrests and promoting social distancing at hotspots.

 Minister Fritz said, "At a time where we are seeing an increase in violence, it is reassuring to see our LEAP officers making a substantial contribution to improving the safety of our citizens particularly in terms of illegal firearms and ammunition, possession of illegal substances and railway infrastructure. I commend these officers on their continuous support to the Western Cape Government's targeted COVID-19 hotspot plan."

 Of the 30 arrests made, there were:

• 9 arrests for possession of illegal substances;
• 7 arrests for trading without a liquor license;
• 2 arrests for possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition;
• 8 arrests for damage, possession or theft of essential railway infrastructure; and
• 2 arrests for possession of stolen property.

 In addition, LEAP officers:

• attended to 12 COVID-19 related complaints;
• conducted 681 hotspot visits;
• participated in 17 roadblocks;
• conducted 4830 stop and searches;
• searched 579 vehicles; and
• issued 1856 notices and fines.

“The facts speak for itself – our Law Enforcement staff are doing incredible work across the board and to make 30 arrests in just 7 days attests to the calibre of staff that the City’s Safety and Security Directorate are blessed to have. Our officers take the work they do seriously and strive for excellence in all that they do. It is no easy task to balance crime fighting with COVID-19 awareness, but our staff have shown that they are up for the challenge,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

Please see English audio clip here: https://clyp.it/umdlial4