K-9 and Rural Safety Units getting their claws into criminals

Swartland, Overstrand and Mossel Bay K-9 and Rural Safety Units getting their claws into criminals

The Overstrand and Swartland Rural Safety Units (RSUs), along with their and the Mossel Bay K-9 units are actively interrupting criminal activities in their respective municipal areas. Between 14 to 16 July 2023, these units with the assistance of various other municipal law enforcement agencies and the South African Police Service (SAPS), arrested thirteen individuals for an array of crimes. Of these, two were apprehended in Mossel Bay, eight in the Swartland municipal area and three in the Overstrand.

In Mossel Bay, where the K-9 unit which has not officially been launched yet, but is gearing up, with the assistance of the farm watch made the following arrest:

• x1 possession of mandrax,
• x1 wanted person.

The unit also confiscated:

• small amounts of tik, cannabis and mandrax tablets and
• discontinued three vehicles at a vehicle checkpoint (VCP).  

The Swartland arrests, where the neighbourhood watch (NHW’s) assisted, included:

• x2 dealing in liquor,
• x5 possession of drugs and
• x1 for intimidation.

The units also confiscated:

• x1 quarter mandrax tablet,
• x1 crushed mandrax tablet,
• x1 half mandrax,
• x1 packet and straw of tik and
• x107 750ml bottles of beer.

The Overstand arrests included:

• x1 for the possession of tik and cocaine,
• x1 for dealing in liquor and
• x1 for the possession of 433 sucked abalone.

Minister Reagen Allen said: “I’m pleased to note the continued successes that all our safety units in the rural parts of our province are achieving. Mossel Bay, is clearly sharpening their teeth for deeper bites into criminals in the not-so-distant future when their K-9 unit is officially launched. As the Western Cape Government (WCG), we want to ensure that greater safety is created throughout the province and having our partners at a local level supporting our endeavours will go a long way in achieving this.”

“These successes are only possible, as the law enforcement agencies, SAPS, our NHW’s and community policing forums (CPF’s) are working together, which is clearly evident here. I urge our communities to strengthen this collaboration and cooperation, so that we are ultimately able to reduce the murder rate by 50% across the province by 2029,” concluded provincial Minister Reagen Allen.