THE Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (Leap) officers are being lauded as they continue to yield success in hot spot areas across the Cape Town metro.
During operations over the past week, Leap officers searched 7 437 people, 250 houses and 707 vehicles were searched during 51 roadblocks.
The operations led to the arrest of 59 suspects arrested for possession of drugs, seven for possession of unlicensed firearms, four suspects for being in possession of an imitation firearm and 11 for dangerous weapons, while 19 suspects were arrested for other offences.
The seven firearms confiscated were accompanied by the confiscation of 60 live rounds of ammunition, 11 knives, a machete, two pangas and a fish knife.
The drugs confiscated included dagga, crystal meth and heroin.
Officers also managed to recover presumed stolen goods such as a laptop, a flat screen TV, a 1.97m overhead pole which belongs to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) as well as various other tools.
Western Cape MEC of community safety Albert Fritz congratulated the officers for their sterling work in enhancing visible policing.
“Among the tools stolen was a sheet cutter and bolt cutter, and I always think that someone who is walking around with a bolt cutter can not be up to any good.
“And that applies to many of the other goods confiscated: imitation and illegal firearms are other such goods.
“When these items are confiscated, untold events of misery are averted. And in that sense, the true successes of these operations are not quantifiable,” Fritz said.
He said Leap officers are determined to make communities safer for all.