Police have rescued businessman and attorney Ashraf Kaka and arrested eight kidnappers, including three Tanzanian nationals, in Johannesburg on Wednesday night.
Kaka aged 64, was kidnapped on July 5 at a mosque in Helderkruin, Roodepoort. He was rescued at a house in Lenasia on Wednesday.
The Star and Saturday Star reported on Kaka’s kidnapping a few minutes after a tip-off from Chad Thomas, an organised crime investigator from IRS Forensic Investigations.
The SAPS anti-kidnapping task team has been working on the case and arrested the first two suspects last week.
On Wednesday, intelligence led the multidisciplinary team to a hotel in Eastgate and two apartments in Fourways where they arrested six suspects and seized drugs suspected to be crystal meth worth R300 million.
The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola visited the crime scene together with the Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya and the Provincial Commissioner of Gauteng, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni.
Masemola said police are hard at work in dismantling the work of transnational organised crime syndicates.
“Well done to the team. Our men and women in blue remain hard at work in taking down syndicates involved in dealing and the trafficking of drugs. Commendable progress has been registered in recent weeks and we owe those successes to our dedicated police officers and our partners in crime including, private security. We will continue to come after those who are involved in the illicit trade of drug trafficking,” said Masemola.
Masemola is expected to brief the nation today (Thursday) morning on operations underway throughout the country to clamp down on all forms of criminality.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday a suspected drug mule was arrested by members of the SAPS at the OR Tambo International Airport.
Police were following up on intelligence that a man aboard an identified aircraft from Sao Paulo - Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil was carrying drugs.
As soon as the identified aircraft landed just before 7 am, police identified the mule and took him for questioning while a team searched the aircraft and found a parcel of cocaine worth R1 million.
The cocaine was discovered- wrapped in plastic - leading police to believe that the consignment was strapped to his body.
The man, who is a Brazilian national, was detained and charged with drug trafficking.
Masemola welcomed the arrest and warned those involved in transnational organised crime that South Africa is no play ground for these syndicates who are involved in the trafficking of drugs.
“Our members throughout the country remain vigilant and ready to intercept these drug traffickers. It’s been a progressive two weeks for SAPS in so far as intercepting large quantities of drugs. R252 million worth of cocaine was seized in Western Cape, a Russian national was among those arrested. A drug lab worth R2 billion was shutdown in Limpopo and two Mexican nationals were arrested in that case. We are hard at work and we are leaving nothing to chance. SA is not a playground for these syndicates. We are working closely with international authorities in sharing information. We will continue to intensify our efforts in intercepting criminals and illicit substances including illegal firearms”, said Masemola .
The drug mule appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court this week on a charge of drug trafficking. He remains in custody.
The Star