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Three men accused of procuring gold-bearing material from an active mine from unlicensed individuals and entities have been arrested.
Barry Mansil, 47, Edmund Walker van Staden, 62 and Carel Cornelius, 64 appeared in the Stilfontein Magistrates Court in North West on Monday.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula says the trio was charged for contravening the Precious Metals Act 37 of 2005 and the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998.
He says reports indicate that their illegal activities took place over four years between 2016 and 2020.
The men were arrested during a disruptive operation conducted in Klerksdorp and surrounding areas where the Hawks seized gold-bearing material estimated at R17 million at various premises.
Lieutenant Colonel Mathebula says during the investigation it was revealed that gold to the estimated value of R111 million was illegally acquired, possessed and disposed of by the accused.
He says all three were granted bail of R10 000 and will be back in court on the 23rd of October as the arrest of one more suspect is still outstanding.
