Two highlights of the unit include the arrest of a notorious hijacker and a wanted criminal involved in murders at Glebelands Hostel.
This week, officers arrested members of a fraud syndicate who were targeting bank clients.
In September, metro police launched their Special Projects Unit which services the areas within the South Durban Basin, between the Bluff and lower South Coast.
Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad said the aim of the unit was to reduce crime in areas south of the city.
“The unit is made up of a commander, four captains and 20 members of metro police.
“The team, in essence, deals with crime, enforcing municipal by-laws and roadblocks among other duties. They work closely with police to effect arrests,” Sewpersad said.
Commenting on the recent arrests, Superintendent Kacey Naicker, the unit’s commander, said the team on Wednesday had caught nine people in two separate cases they had been following up on.
“We arrested a well-known hijacker in the uMlazi area. He was found with tools. At the time of his arrest, the suspect had a car tracking device in his hand,” Naicker said.
In another arrest, a group of people was arrested after police uncovered a syndicate that was defrauding bank clients.
According to Sewpersad, the fraudsters were colluding with a call-centre employee to get personal information of bank clients and then defrauding them of their money.
The gang was arrested and found in possession of cellphones and SIM cards.
Naicker said another noteworthy arrest was the apprehension of a suspect wanted for crimes at the Glebelands Hostel in uMlazi.
Naicker said they were able to minimise crime in areas south of the city during the festive season.
Daily News