Hawks arrest 16 alleged illegal miners in North West
Sixteen alleged illegal miners have been arrested in North West following a multi-disciplinary operation at Quest mine, just off Buffeldoorn road.
The suspects were arrested on Tuesday in a joint operation between various law enforcement agencies.
Hawks spokesperson Tlangelani Rikhotso says the team followed up on information regarding the alleged illegal mining activities at Quest mine.
Rikhotso says the alleged illegal miners were flushed out from underground leading to their subsequent arrest.
"The elaborate illegal mining activities were allegedly operated through a heavy-duty industrial generator, whilst supplemented by other smaller generators which were strategically located at multiple processing stations for gold bearing material," says Rikhotso.
The police also seized two firearms, explosive cartridges, detonating cords, capped fuses, four generators and illegal mining paraphernalia which consisted of 23 buckets of gold-bearing material, electric mills, heavy-duty electrical equipment, water pumps and diesel.
The suspects are expected to appear before the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Gallery
ALSO READ
