Cape Town residents from the communities of Delft and Mfuleni will be relieved to know that the reign of terror meted out by a six-team extortion syndicate has been snuffed by police.
Six men suspected of extorting money from residents in the two areas were arrested by police on 18 September.
They are expected to appear before the Blue Downs and Belville Magistrates’ Courts this week.
A tip-off led to police arresting Cape Town extortion syndicate
According to a statement by the Western Cape Police, whistleblowers informed police of the syndicate’s operations and whereabouts.
An investigation by three police teams, the Anti-Economic Crime Task Team, the Provincial Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Policing Team, and Crime Intelligence ensued.
Police pounced on the men aged between 22 and 31 at about 5am, catching them off guard.
It seems the police did not only nab the suspected extortionists, but also bagged a slew of prohibited items.
“Firearms and ammunition confiscated consist of an AK-47 with 28 rounds, one R1 round, a 9mm Makarov pistol with 61 rounds, one Beretta Z88 pistol with 15 rounds, one Norinco Star with five rounds, one 9mm pistol with 23 rounds, as well as 400 mandrax tablets,” stated police.
The men were arrested on charges of possession of prohibited firearms and ammunition, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, and possession of drugs.
It turns out that five of the six men arrested are also suspected of having committed a double murder in the Stellenbosch area.
The illegal firearms will undergo ballistic testing.
Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, the Western Cape’s Commissioner of Police, praised the successful intervention by the multidisciplinary team. She expressed relief at the suspects’ arrests and the removal of the firearms from the streets of Cape Town.
