File
The Hawks arrested at 611 suspects who appeared in court during the First Quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year.
The Head of the Hawks, General Godfrey Lebeya, was presenting the fifth public update on the successes achieved by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation.
He said of the suspects who appeared in court, 229 were convicted and sentenced, while 16 were jailed for money laundering.
Most of the arrests relate to fraud, which accounts for two hundred and three (203) suspects, while money laundering amassed forty-eight (48) suspects.
Seventy-two suspects were equally arrested for narcotics and endangered species.
"The remaining two hundred and eighty-eight (288) suspects were arrested for the other seventeen (17) types of national priority crimes."
General Lebeya said during these arrests, the DPCI also seized various exhibits including precious metals and diamonds, endangered species, vehicles, cash, firearms, ammunition, counterfeit goods, explosives, and electronic devices worth R6.1 billion.
He said the DPCI continued to respond to those who committed crimes relating to the Covid-19 Relief Fund.
Lebeya said that at the end of June, 190 suspects appeared before various courts.
He said cash-in-transit heists "continue to be a thorn in the economy of the country," and the DPCI in collaboration with private organisations such as CITASA continued to strengthen the fight against these crimes.
Lebeya said for the period under review, 27 arrests were made for CIT robberies while there were six convictions with combined sentences totalling 121 years.
