Police raid 4 Germiston hotels
2002-12-29 14:57
Germiston - Four hotels in Germiston were raided on Friday as part of a crime-prevention operation, police reported.
Superintendent Andy Pieke said the raid followed complaints of prostitution in and around the hotels, as well as a high incidence of crime, including robberies, in the area.
The owners of the hotels welcomed the action, said Pieke. The raid started at about 16:00, and resulted in the arrest of eighteen alleged prostitutes.
During the operation a man suspected of carrying an unlicensed firearm shot at police as he was being chased down a street.
He was later found hiding under a pile of refuse bags, and an unlicensed Norinco pistol was found in his possession.
A second unlicensed firearm was found on another suspect, said Pieke.
Police also arrested five illegal immigrants, one drunken driver, 12 people who were drinking in public, 11 who urinated in public and one who was selling fireworks without a licence.
- SAPA