Lauren Isaacs15 October 2024 | 9:56

WC police arrest 2 men in Philippi on extortion-related charges

Officers were deployed to the area on Monday, after they received information about a group of five armed men extorting spaza shops in the Kosovo and Samora Machel areas.

WC police arrest 2 men in Philippi on extortion-related charges

Picture: @SAPoliceService/Twitter

CAPE TOWN - Police have arrested two men in Philippi, on extortion-related charges.

Officers were deployed to the area on Monday, after they received information about a group of five armed men extorting spaza shops in the Kosovo and Samora Machel areas.

Community members then informed the South African Police Service (SAPS) members that the extortionists had moved to another section of Philippi.

The police's Malcolm Pojie said the officers caught two of the suspects in Browns Farm, carrying blue backpacks.

"The members searched the two and found a plastic bag containing an undisclosed amount of coins and a few packets of cigarettes, allegedly taken from some of the shops they extorted.

"After further interrogation, the two led the members to two different addresses in COVID informal settlement, Mfuleni where the members discovered an assault rifle which was hidden under a mattress in one of the rooms of the first address. The members proceeded to the second address where they found two prohibited firearms."