http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Hawks-successes-growing-20100506
Cape Town - The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI) - established last year - has already scored successes in a number of fields, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Thursday.
The Hawks currently comprises 2 633 members, he told the National Assembly during debate on his budget vote.
"We have already appointed deputy provincial commissioners in eight of the nine provinces and additional personnel are currently undergoing vetting processes.
"The Hawks have already scored successes in a number of fields in their short existence," he said.
On July 6 2009, 287 projects of the former Directorate of Special Operations (DSO) were transferred to the DPCI.
To date, DPCI operations against organised crime had led to 3 850 arrests and 573 convictions and operations against commercial crime to 8 186 arrests and 4 960 convictions.
In addition, 28 of the top 50 wanted criminals had been arrested.
Drug lab
Other notable successes included a drug laboratory with drugs to the value of R200m recovered in an operation in Midrand on August 30 2009 and a transactional drug bust to the value of R600m recovered in Phoenix on September 14 2009, including the arrest of two South Africans and four British citizens.
A drug lab to the value of R1bn had been bust on December 4 2009.
Other drug busts included the arrest of a school teacher in possession of ephedrine to the value of R35m in Kempton Park on February 4 2010 and a drug lab closed down with drugs to the value of R5.4m seized in Benoni on March 31 2010.
There had also been numerous allegations of fraud cases involving municipalities.
"Operationally, we remain confident that the Hawks will continue with their successes in fighting organised crime. The successes of the Hawks have proven sceptics wrong," Mthethwa said.
The feedback received from businesses, communities and the media was overwhelmingly positive.
"We experienced significant declines in various crimes, including cash-in-transits, armed robberies, house robberies/break-ins and business robberies, particularly mall robberies."
Aggravated robbery and theft of motor vehicle decreased significantly during this festive period compared to figures for the corresponding previous period.
The decreases in carjacking and theft of motor vehicle, particularly street/public robbery, could in all probability be attributed to higher police visibility.
Cape Town - The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI) - established last year - has already scored successes in a number of fields, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Thursday.
The Hawks currently comprises 2 633 members, he told the National Assembly during debate on his budget vote.
"We have already appointed deputy provincial commissioners in eight of the nine provinces and additional personnel are currently undergoing vetting processes.
"The Hawks have already scored successes in a number of fields in their short existence," he said.
On July 6 2009, 287 projects of the former Directorate of Special Operations (DSO) were transferred to the DPCI.
To date, DPCI operations against organised crime had led to 3 850 arrests and 573 convictions and operations against commercial crime to 8 186 arrests and 4 960 convictions.
In addition, 28 of the top 50 wanted criminals had been arrested.
Drug lab
Other notable successes included a drug laboratory with drugs to the value of R200m recovered in an operation in Midrand on August 30 2009 and a transactional drug bust to the value of R600m recovered in Phoenix on September 14 2009, including the arrest of two South Africans and four British citizens.
A drug lab to the value of R1bn had been bust on December 4 2009.
Other drug busts included the arrest of a school teacher in possession of ephedrine to the value of R35m in Kempton Park on February 4 2010 and a drug lab closed down with drugs to the value of R5.4m seized in Benoni on March 31 2010.
There had also been numerous allegations of fraud cases involving municipalities.
"Operationally, we remain confident that the Hawks will continue with their successes in fighting organised crime. The successes of the Hawks have proven sceptics wrong," Mthethwa said.
The feedback received from businesses, communities and the media was overwhelmingly positive.
"We experienced significant declines in various crimes, including cash-in-transits, armed robberies, house robberies/break-ins and business robberies, particularly mall robberies."
Aggravated robbery and theft of motor vehicle decreased significantly during this festive period compared to figures for the corresponding previous period.
The decreases in carjacking and theft of motor vehicle, particularly street/public robbery, could in all probability be attributed to higher police visibility.