A multi-disciplinary team executing Operation Vala Umgodi in Kleinsee, Namakwa District, Kimberley, arrested a 21-year-old Mosotho man on Tuesday, June 18, for alleged possession of uncut diamonds.
According to a media statement from the South African Police Service (SAPS), the team was conducting routine inspections at a vehicle checkpoint near Kleinsee when they stopped and searched the suspect, finding suspected uncut diamonds in his possession.
The suspect could not provide a reasonable explanation for possessing the suspected diamonds and failed to present immigration officials with documentation proving his legal status in the country. Consequently, he was arrested and will appear in court soon.
Operation Vala Umgodi aims to strengthen efforts to eradicate illicit mining and the proliferation of undocumented persons in the Northern Cape.
Reports indicate that between two and five Basotho are arrested weekly in South Africa for various crimes, including illicit mining, illegal stay, murder, and possession of illegal firearms and diamonds.
