A joint operation between various Stock Theft Units, Crime Intelligence and station police officers in the Province yielded positive results when a total of 276 suspected stolen livestock in the Northern part of KwaZulu-Natal was recovered.
The duration of the above-mentioned operation was 7 – 19 June 2015 and it entailed the execution of: suspects raiding, farm visits, normal patrols, controlling movement of stock, visiting livestock pounds and abattoirs by a collective of members.
The livestock recovered included: 251 cattle, 17 goats, six sheep and two horses; a pistol and dagga were also recovered during this successful operation. All recovered stock was positively identified and returned to their lawful owners.
Twelve suspects were arrested for stealing livestock, six for animal identification, four for possession of dagga, one for possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition and one for selling liquor without a license.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, commended the members for conducting a successful operation in the province.
“We appeal to livestock owners to make sure that their stock is properly marked in terms of the Animal Identification Act so that it will be easy for us to return them if found. I am pleased that police officers are vigilant and that they are monitoring the movement of stock throughout the year so that stock thieves can be nabbed,” she said.
