Troublesome drunk leads police to an illegal gold refinery
Cape Town - A drunken man who was provoking people on the street in Gauteng did not think his actions would lead police to uncover what was happening behind closed doors at his place of residence.
Members of the Sedibeng K9 Unit met with the intoxicated man, stopped and took him to his home at the Walkers Fruit Farms in De Deur, spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Colonel Philani Nkwalase said.
“On arrival, they found the duo busy processing gold-bearing material in one of the outside rooms to which they were drawn by the sound of the machinery,” Nkwalase said.
“The police also found more gold-bearing material valued at approximately R800 000 near their processing room.
“Furthermore, five pendukas were also found as well as a 19 kg gas cylinder and two small bottles of mercury.”
He said members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team from Vaal Rand were called to the scene as role players together with the Forensic Science Laboratory from Pretoria and representatives from Sibanye Mining.
“The suspects, aged 22 and 23, were arrested, and all items used in the commission of crime were seized for further investigation,” Nkwalase said.
The duo is expected to appear in the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
They face charges of operating an illegal gold refinery in contravention of the Precious Metals Act 37 of 2005.
Last week, the Star reported on an intelligence-driven operation that resulted in the arrest of a 22-year-old suspect and the detection of a fully operational gold refinery laboratory in a smallholding in Zuurbekom in Westonaria with gold-bearing material worth R3 million.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
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