Police have arrested 92 suspected illegal miners and seized firearms, ammunition, explosives and mining equipment during a multidisciplinary operation in West Village, Krugersdorp, on Monday.
The arrests were made during Operation Prosper/Karabo, an ongoing law enforcement intervention targeting illegal mining, gangsterism and related criminal activities across Gauteng.
The operation began on Monday morning, with members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) cordoning off the area before police and Department of Home Affairs officials moved in to conduct targeted enforcement operations.
Police said two firearms and ammunition were recovered during the operation. Authorities also seized illegal mining equipment, including phendukas, gas cylinders and explosives.
Police say the operation forms part of continued efforts to dismantle illegal mining activities in the province.
“The relentless efforts of law enforcement agencies to fight and dismantle illegal mining activities in the province continue to yield positive results,” the police Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi in the statement.
