Skollies and drug merts in Grassy Park received an unexpected visit from crime-fighters as more than 100 patrollers and cops swooped on drug dens on Saturday.
Tempers flared as officers executed arrests, resulting in residents turning on cops, with one woman attacking top cop Colonel Dawood Laing until he bled.
The Community Police Forum led cops to the problem properties which they say are hotspots for crime in the precinct.
Laing tells the Daily Voice that in preparation, cops obtained over 30 search warrants following complaints by residents who are living in fear of skollies and drug merts.
“The search warrants are based on complaints and observations of the activities from these houses. They are the hotspots for crime because people either come to buy, smoke or sell stolen items,” says Laing.
“We had just over 100 people on the ground and this was a partnership with the CPF, the neighbourhood watches, SAPS and Law Enforcement.
“Our plan was to make our presence felt and disarm these gangsters.”
He says they busted one of the main gang hitmen, who is believed to be behind a spate of shootings in Ottery.
“He was sitting in his maroon Toyota that was flagged in the drive-by shootings. Before that, the car was white and also used in shootings,” says Laing.
“He was sitting in his car with his pistol. He is only 23 years old but he is the son of the former leader of the Mongrels gang.
“Since his father died from Covid, he has been going around shooting and now we have him.”
During the searches, cops came under attack three times as angry residents pelted them with stones and bricks.
In Parkwood, cops busted two women, aged 21 and 23.
After discovering dagga and tik lollies hidden in a kombuis kassie, Laing and other officers proceeded to arrest the one woman who claimed the drugs belonged to her father.
In the incident, witnessed by the Daily Voice, a relative started skelling with officers and after being told to calm down and not interfere, the woman attacked Laing by ripping off his shirt and scratching him until he bled.
CPF chair Melvin Jonkers, says the attacks on cops are concerning.
“These are the same people who are crying about shootings. This is unacceptable. We always find that the law-abiding citizens are the only ones who appreciate these interventions,” he says.