K9s beat crime ‘paws’ down

25 March 2022

The Metro Police K9 unit has made 226 arrests between 1 July 2021 and mid-March 2022.

The Metro Police K9 unit has made 226 arrests between 1 July 2021 and mid-March 2022.

During this time, the unit also recovered:

•         5 317.5 units of drugs
•         R42 614.50 in cash
•         four firearms
•         four imitation firearms
•         17 rounds of ammunition
•         eight stolen vehicles.

In one of the latest successes on 16 March 2022, K9 Spartan (pictured) led his handler to a stash of Tik and Mandrax with an estimated street value of R350 000 in a storage locker in Ottery, as well as a 9mm pistol.

In Grassy Park on 8 March, officers attached to the K9 unit recovered a stolen vehicle and arrested two suspects.

On 13 February, K9 Kai recovered Heroin, Tik and Mandrax hidden in the steel frame of a kitchen table at a house in Heideveld, and on 31 January, K9s Xena and Savage led their handlers to drugs with an estimated street value of R60 000 while assisting SAPS in Woodstock.

‘Our K9s add immense value to our efforts to make communities safer, and it is such a pleasure to watch them in action. The level of training is impressive, but also their ability to find contraband. In recent years, some criminals have become extremely creative with their hiding places, but in most cases, it proves to be no match for our intrepid K9s,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

Apart from enforcement operations, the K9 Unit also conducts public safety and awareness displays, particularly at schools.

These outreaches resumed in January 2022, after a near two-year break due to Covid-19.

‘We are very pleased that the unit has been able to resume this very important part of their job. The dogs really are a crowd-pleaser, especially among law-abiding citizens. Those with criminal intent are less fond of them, for obvious reasons. But the K9s are an important tool in our efforts to build positive relationships with communities, and the proof lies in the many tips we receive about criminal activities that are followed up. The recent success by K9 Spartan and his colleagues was prompted by a tip-off from a member of the public. With these tips and their knack for sniffing out contraband, it’s a win-win situation,’ added Alderman Smith.

End

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office

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