Port Alfred police in massive copper bust

Five units of the South African Police Service in Port Alfred worked together to secure the arrest of nine suspects aged 26-46 with suspected stolen copper worth more than half a million rands. The operation was carried out on the R72 near Kenton-on-Sea.

SAPS spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy said on Friday June 19, police received information about an Isuzu bakkie travelling from Ku Gompo to Gqeberha with a suspiciously heavy load. Further updates indicated that the bakkie had broken down on the R72 near Kenton-on-Sea.

Five SAPS units from Port Alfred collaborated In an intelligence driven operation: crime intelligence, K9, crime-prevention unit, detectives and Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences.

A vehicle fitting the description was traced and found parked next to the R72 near Kenton-on-Sea with two other vehicles nearby. On searching the bakkie, police found 1 619.18kg of copper cables stashed under a mattress in the bakkie’s bin area. The contraband is valued at R600 000.

In the second vehicle were implements used in copper theft.  The three vehicles were confiscated for further investigation, along with 11 mobile phones found in them. The 9 male occupants were arrested for possession of suspected stolen property and were due to appear before the Kenton-On-Sea Magistrate’s Court earlier this week.