Cape Town - Three police officers arrested at the weekend for dealing in drugs, hijacking and theft, respectively, are expected to appear in court today.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the Beaufort West District Task Team acted on information regarding the transportation of suspected illegal firearms in a taxi on Saturday morning, when they ended up arresting a Diep River officer at 3.15am.
“The members identified the Toyota Verso taxi, and stopped and searched it on the N1 at Beaufort West.
“This particular vehicle was on its way to Murraysburg and during the searching thereof, the following items were found to be in the possession of the taxi driver: 1 006 full mandrax tablets, 11 halved mandrax tablets, 16 quarter mandrax tablets, a further 1 015 and a halved mandrax tablets, and 502g tik with an estimated street value of R226 475.
“The drugs were found in the driver’s backpack,” Van Wyk said. “The 44-year-old male suspect, an SAPS member stationed at Diep River, was arrested for dealing in drugs. He will appear in the Beaufort West Magistrate’s Court (this) morning.”
In a separate incident on Friday, two officers were arrested for hijacking and theft that took place in August 2022.
One officer was arrested at the Sea Point police station, and the other at the Anti-Gang Unit in Faure, Eerste River.
According to Van Wyk, during the incident on August 10 that year, along the N2 at the Baden Powell off-ramp, the off-duty officers allegedly pulled over a truck loaded with abalone.
“It was at about 11.58pm, the truck was transporting abalone to the value of R500 000 from Buffeljags Abalone Farm to Cape Town International Airport to be exported.
“The two crew members were approached by two marked police vehicles with sirens and flashing blue lights, the driver of the truck stopped next to the road.
“The officers, who were all dressed in police uniform, confronted the driver and crew member who they requested to hand their cellphones over to them.
“Two firearms and a rifle and handgun were taken from the possession of one of the truck occupants.
“The driver was put in the back of one of the police vehicles while his passengers (were put) in another police vehicle.
“They were driven away from the scene but later released in a bush area in Mitchells Plain while the truck was recovered abandoned at Wolfgat Nature reserve, Mitchells Plain, with all the abalone removed.”
Van Wyk said the two police vehicles used by members were identified.
“Both vehicles’ aerial vehicle locations (AVLs) placed the vehicles at the different crime scenes.
“The drivers of the vehicles were identified, and their cellphone records placed them at or near the different crime scenes.
“It was also established that both the members were off duty at the time of the incident but were authorised to be in possession of the marked police vehicles.
“The SAPS members, aged 33 and 37, will appear in the Somerset West Magistrate’s Court (this) morning.”
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen said: “I urge these officers to also inform investigators who are alleged to be involved in this matter.”