EIGHT Soweto chop shops were closed down in a joint operation on Tuesday involving police, the SA National Defence Force, the SA Revenue Service and Johannesburg’s Southern Metropolitan Council. Some 20 allegedly stolen car engines, as well as numerous parts thought to belong to stolen cars were seized. In addition, all buildings and structures on the chop shop premises were demolished. The raid follows a protracted legal wrangle going back two years, in which the metropolitan council had attempted to evict the chop shops from the council premises they were illegally occupying. The council was finally given an eviction order in the Johannesburg High Court last Friday.