A three-year undercover investigation into illegal diamond deals in the Northern Cape ended on Tuesday in the arrest of five people, police said.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Mashay Gamieldien said the four men and a woman were arrested in Kimberley, Hopetown and Schweizer-Reneke on Tuesday morning.
They appeared in the magistrate’s courts of Kimberley and Hopetown, and all were released on bail of between R2 000 and R5 000, said Gamieldien.
The investigation into illegal diamond deals, part of Operation Noka, started in April 2002.
Police confiscated an R4 rifle and more than 590 rounds of ammunition.
Gamieldien said police also seized more than R83 000 in cash that was apparently meant to be used in illegal diamond-buying transactions.
Johannes Hendriks (25) and Johan Blom (38) will appear in the Hopetown Magistrate’s Court again on June 5.
The matter against Rudolf van der Westhuizen (30), Maria Vermeulen (48) and Johannes Koegelenberg (38) was postponed to June 7 in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court. — Sapa