Multi-agency operation nets success along Northern Cape coast

MULTI-disciplinary law enforcement actions as part of Operation Phakisa were executed between June 20 and 23 in several coastal towns of the Namakwa District in the Northern Cape. The targeted areas included Port Nolloth, Kleinzee, Groenrivier, Alexander Bay and Hondeklip Bay.

According to Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock, the primary focus of the operation was to address illegal activities related to marine crimes. Law enforcement agencies closely monitored compliance with prescribed regulations for ranching, fishing, and harvesting. Additionally, the operation aimed to combat the proliferation of drugs and illegal firearms and prevent undocumented immigration.

The operations were executed under the overall command of Colonel Kholakele Sontsi, the provincial commander of Public Order Policing, operational commander Lieutenant-Colonel Wessie van der Wesrhuizen, the Vioolsdrift Border Policing commander, and Thulani Mthombeni from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, assisted by the operation's tactical commander, Captain James Peters, who actively participated in the planned actions.

Teams from different departments and relevant stakeholders, including Sars Customs unit, SANParks, the Department of Minerals and Resources, and the Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform, successfully disrupted illegal activities.

At the outset of the operations, various actions were carried out, including compliance inspections, vehicle checkpoints (VCPs), stop and searches, foot and vehicle patrols, and targeted raids on houses suspected of harbouring illegal drugs, firearms and other contraband.

Notably, four VCPs were conducted along the Port Nolloth-Kleinzee and Port Nolloth-Alexander Bay roads, resulting in the inspection of both vehicles and individuals.

According to Kock, during the course of the operations, several notable successes were recorded. Law enforcement officials meticulously inspected fishing permits at harbours, camping sites and launching pads. As a result, fines totalling R6,000 were issued for violations of the Marine Living Resources Act. Additionally, illicit cigarettes with an estimated value of approximately R41,000 were confiscated. Furthermore, eight adult undocumented individuals (comprising three females and five males) were apprehended for contravening the Immigration Act.

The provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Northern Cape, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, emphasised that the police, in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, remain unwavering in their commitment to safeguard the marine environment and protect the Province's valuable marine resources.

Furthermore, the police will persistently combat illegal and unregulated activities along the coastal areas of the Northern Cape, ensuring safety and security for all, Otola said.