KING WILLIAMS TOWN – Three (3) suspects aged between 24 and 36 were arrested on Thursday 25 July 2019 at Sheshegu locality, Ngxakaxha Village in Idutywa for possession of commercial explosives and suspected involvement in card cloning activities.

The arrests followed after Crime Intelligence and Vehicle Theft Unit followed up information of theft of a motor vehicle from Idutywa. During the operation, the police also received a report about suspects who are involved in card cloning activities.

Having obtained a search warrant, the operatives moved into the premises where one of the suspects resides and subsequently recovered a reading device of fraudulently acquired bank card information, shopping hand bags which contained commercial explosives as well as detonators.

The reported stolen vehicle was also spotted in the area and all the suspects were then arrested. The suspects were charged for Theft of Motor Vehicle, Possession of Explosives and detonators, Possession of Stolen Bank Cards and Reading device. They all appeared in Idutywa Magisttrate’s Court on Thursday 26 July 2019 and the case was remanded to the 05 August 2019 for a formal bail hearing. The suspects remain in custody.

The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga hailed the members from Crime Intelligence and VISS for what she described as a major breakthrough in preventing the proliferation of hazardous artillery and fraudulent Card cloning activities in the province.

Source: South African Police Service