Three alleged zama-zamas and a man accused of charging the illegal miners a fee to operate in Primrose, Ekurhuleni, were arrested, Gauteng police said on Thursday.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said they received a tip-off from Crime Intelligence about armed illegal miners who were in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition around the Primrose area.
Masondo said the suspects were found with a rifle, ammunition and gold-bearing soil during a police-led operation on Wednesday.
“The area where illegal mining is taking place was approached tactically, and the team noticed an individual busy on his phone and with a rifle on his lap.
“The man and three other suspected illegal miners were also found with gold-bearing soil and they were arrested,” Masondo said.
Masondo said upon further investigation, police had since established that one of the four suspects had been charging the illegal miners a fee to operate in the Primrose and to get access to the mining area.
The arrests were made following a tip-off to Crime Intelligence about the armed group.
The arrests were effected by a team consisting of SAPS Ekurhuleni District Crime Intelligence, Tactical Task Team, Trio Task Team, Bad Boys Security and Blue Hawk Tactical.
The police-led operation with private security companies was part of ongoing operations to disrupt and dismantle illegal mining in Gauteng province.
Masondo said police-led operations aimed at disrupting and dismantling illegal mining and the recovery of unlicensed firearms in Gauteng would continue.
IOL