Free State police have arrested another five suspects in connection with the possession of suspected stolen anti-retroviral medicine.
Spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said they received information about a man who was in possession of explosives in Virginia and the anti-gang unit from Welkom went to investigate.
He says upon arriving at the house police requested a search and found explosives and ARV tablets.
Makhele said a subsequent investigation led to the arrest of another 30-year-old man, who will face the same charges.
The information then led police to a Clinic in Meloding, Virginia where three female employees were arrested for possession of suspected stolen ARV's.
The women, aged 43, 51 and 52 as well as the two men are expected to appear in the Virginia Magistrates Court on Friday.
This brings the total to 14 people arrested for suspected stolen property under the Medicine Act 101of 1965
The nine men and four women were all arrested in the Free State.
On the 9th of January, a 33-year-old employee from the Department of Health in the Eastern Cape was arrested with his 45-year-old alleged accomplice following a meeting they had at the railway station in Bloemfontein.
Brigadier Makhele said during the first arrest they found a total of 1 068 bottles of antiretrovirals consisting of various brands such as Atroiza, Odimune, and Tribuss.
Just a few days later, three more suspects were arrested outside Ventersburg when 265 bottles of ARV's were hidden in their Toyota Corolla.
On the 24th of January, Free State police struck again when they arrested four suspects in Thabong just outside of Welkom.
Makhele says the four suspects were driving from Kroonstad to Thabong when police pulled them over.
Police confiscated 160 bottles of ARV's hidden in two boxes.
The suspects arrested in January have already appeared in court.
Picture: Archive from first arrest in January.
