With 226 arrests and the recovery of more than 5 000 units of drugs in the last nine months, the Metro Police K9 unit proves that its bite is as good as its bark.
The powerful squad 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
The latest success story comes after K9 Spartan 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 on 16 March, the City of Cape Town explains in a statement.
Officers attached to the K9 unit also recovered a stolen vehicle and arrested two suspects in Grassy Park on 8 March, while K9 Kai recovered Heroin, Tik and Mandrax hidden in the steel frame of a kitchen table at a house in Heideveld on 13 February.
In addition to this, K9s Xena and Savage led their handlers to drugs with an estimated street value of R60 000 while assisting SAPS in Woodstock on 31 January.
“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 hiatus as a result of 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,” Alderman Smith adds.
Also read:
Cape Town Mayor aims to make every Capetonian feel safe as weekly arrests increase
Picture: The City of Cape Town