A MAJOR cross-border police operation along the Northern Cape’s remote borderline with Botswana has dealt a blow to criminal activity, with arrests, seizures, and fines issued during a four-day blitz.

The operation, which ran from March 27 to March 30, spanned key points including Van Zylsrus, Witdraai, Gemsbokpark, Twee Rivieren, Middlepits, and McCarthysrus - within the John Taolo Gaetsewe District. The area is notorious for smuggling routes and isolated terrain, making it a hotbed for illicit cross-border trade.

Led by Colonel Sibusiso Msimango, the operation brought together a multi-disciplinary team including members of the SAPS Border Police, Kimberley and Upington Vehicle Crime Investigation Units, Upington Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit, officers from both JTG and ZF Mgcawu Districts, as well as SANParks and the Border Management Authority.

According to Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock, the operation aimed to clamp down on crimes ranging from drug trafficking and vehicle theft to stock theft and the movement of undocumented individuals. Police teams conducted foot and vehicle patrols, compliance inspections, and stop-and-searches across secondary roads and informal crossing points.

During the operation, officers stopped and searched 221 vehicles and 638 individuals. Numerous road traffic fines were issued, and a cache of illegal liquor was seized in Van Zylsrus, resulting in a R1,500 fine for a suspect found dealing without a licence.

In a notable breakthrough, police arrested a 52-year-old man in Heuningsvlei after he was found in possession of a stolen GWM bakkie and goats valued at approximately R40,000. He is expected to appear in court soon on charges of vehicle and stock theft.

Further intelligence-led investigations led to the confiscation of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition on a Van Zylsrus farm, where an enquiry has been opened.

The provincial commissioner of the SAPS in the Northern Cape, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, emphasised that cross-border policing remains a top priority in the province, given the region’s vast and often porous boundaries.

She noted that operations like these are vital to disrupting organised crime and ensuring the safety of both citizens and visitors making use of the border posts.

With law enforcement presence tightened along the province’s border, authorities say they remain committed to ongoing clampdowns that target both opportunistic and organised criminal networks.

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Northern Cape police score wins in cross-border crime crackdown