Police officers narrowly escaped injury during a shootout in Qonce as an intelligence-driven operation closed in on suspects believed to be linked to a cash-in-transit (CIT) heist near Ducats on 4 November.
The coordinated operation, conducted on 5 November, involved members of the East London Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) unit, the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) Tracking Team, Mdantsane Tactical Response Team (TRT), Local Criminal Record Centre, and GDS Security.
According to the Hawks, four more suspects were arrested following the gun battle, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to seven. Eleven additional suspects remain at large.
Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the team had acted on “credible intelligence” that led them to Madramini, near Qonce.
“It is alleged that a 41-year-old suspect provided logistical support and transportation for the perpetrators before and after the CIT heist,” said Mhlakuvana.
A Mercedes-Benz E-Class, allegedly used as a getaway vehicle, was seized during the operation. Two other suspects — a 41-year-old man from Pretoria and a 43-year-old from Cape Town — were arrested at a safe house reportedly owned by the Mercedes-Benz driver.
Mhlakuvana said further operational follow-ups led investigators to intercept a white Toyota RunX in the Qonce area. The car was allegedly transporting four more suspects who had been hiding in the Mooiplaas area.
“When officers confronted the suspects, they opened fire on the police, prompting a tactical defensive response,” he said.
A brief but intense exchange of gunfire ensued. Two suspects, aged 41 and 58, sustained minor gunshot wounds. Both were treated at Grey Hospital in Qonce before being discharged under police guard.
Police recovered a white Mercedes-Benz believed to have been used in the robbery, a grey Toyota Fortuner, a 9mm pistol, and an undisclosed amount of money suspected to be proceeds of the heist.
The arrested suspects face charges of cash-in-transit robbery. Three are expected to appear in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, while the remaining four are due to appear on Thursday.
Provincial Hawks head Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya praised the operation, saying it reflected the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (DPCI) determination to disrupt and dismantle organised criminal syndicates.
“This operation demonstrates our relentless commitment to dismantling organised criminal networks responsible for orchestrating violent and economically motivated crimes,” Ngwenya said.
The investigation into the N6 heist remains ongoing.
Daily Dispatch
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