Six suspects aged between 19 and 42, are due to appear before the Graskop Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, 26 July 2021, for being in possession of gold bearing soil as well as contravention of the Immigration Act.
Their appearance came after they were nabbed today during an operation which was conducted by members from the Dientjie Police Station who noticed a vehicle offloading suspicious bags around the area and called for backup.
On their arrival at the scene, the suspects were found with the said bags loaded with gold bearing soil and were arrested on the spot. Police further discovered that four of the suspects are in the country without proper documents hence the additional charge.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela, has welcomed the arrest and commended the sterling work done by police in ensuring that the suspects are apprehended so that they can face the full might of the law. She has further warned the community to refrain from illegal mining as apart from being illegal, it also poses danger to life.
