Rustenburg - Sixteen suspected illegal miners were flushed out of a mine shaft in Stilfontein near Klerksdorp in the North West.
The group was arrested during a multi-disciplinary operation on Tuesday.
"The team followed up on information regarding the alleged illegal mining activities at Quest mine, which is situated just off Buffeldoorn road.
“Resultantly, sixteen alleged illegal miners were flushed out from underground, leading to their subsequent arrest.
"The elaborate illegal mining activities were allegedly operated through a heavy-duty industrial generator whilst supplemented by other smaller generators, which were strategically located at multiple processing stations for gold-bearing material," said Hawks spokesperson in North West, Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso.
"During the operation, two firearms were seized, explosive cartridges, detonating cords, capped fuses, four generators and illegal mining paraphernalia, which consisted of 23 buckets of gold-bearing material, electric mills, heavy-duty electrical equipment, water pumps and diesel. In addition, large amounts of food was also seized."
The suspects were expected to appear in the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
On October 20 in 2022, a group of 87 alleged illegal miners were arrested at the Shaft 2 in Orkney.
The men, all from Lesotho, are facing charges of attempted murder, illegal possession of prohibited firearms and ammunition, illegal possession of gold, theft and conspiracy to commit an offence.
During the arrest, six illegal miners were gunned down and eight injured following a shootout with members of the Special Task Force assisted by Hawks Organised Crime in North West.
Two minibus taxis, illegal mining paraphernalia, gold-bearing material, eleven illegal firearms and bags of food were seized during the arrest.
In another incident on October 10 in 2022, 21 suspected illegal miners were arrested at a mine shaft in Stilfontein.
During their arrest, 15 AK47 rifles, six hunting rifles, two shotguns and one R5, boxes full of ammunition, explosives, and an undisclosed amount of money were seized.
Six of them are applying for bail, and their bail hearing continues at the Stilfontein Magistrate's Court on February 27.
IOL