Nafiz Modack and three other suspects have been arrested on multiple charges, including for the murder of top cop Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear.
Traffic around Century City was brought to a standstill on Thursday afternoon as a Hawks and SAPS Task Force swooped on the controversial businessman, leading to a dramatic chase.
The cops stopped and searched two cars, seizing three unlicensed guns.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale explains: “The suspects were noticed by the team in Century View. When the team attempted to stop them, they accelerated, with one vehicle missing one of the members.
“A high-speed chase ensued and the suspects were cornered at Sable Road and arrested.
“During the arrest, two vehicles were searched.
“Inside the Mercedes with two occupants that was stopped, two unlicensed firearms were recovered.
“In the second vehicle, a Toyota Hilux with two occupants, an unlicensed firearm was recovered.”
Mogale said four suspects, aged between 29 and 49, were arrested on charges linked to the attempted murder of an advocate, believed to be William Booth, as well as the murder of Anti-Gang Unit commander Kinnear, who was shot dead outside his Bishop Lavis home in September last year.
The charges also include kidnapping and intimidation, relating to a case of vandalism at The Toy Shop, a luxury car dealership in Milnerton in February.
The four will appear on the above charges in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Modack’s lawyer, Advocate Dirk Uys, confirmed to the Daily Voice he had been arrested.
Kinnear had been investigating Modack’s alleged role in an underworld battle to control the Cape Town nightclub security industry.
In a video taken of the arrest, Task Force officers can be seen pinning a man to the ground while another man, who appears to be Modack, is seen making calls on a cellphone.
Former rugby player Zane Kilian was also arrested for his alleged role in an elaborate murder plot to kill Kinnear, by tracking his cellphone.
In his bail hearing, the court heard that Kilian had revealed the identity of the person who hired him, known as “Mr. X” to the Hawks.
However, in a responding affidavit, Kilian denied this, saying he only knew the person who hired him as “Mohammed”.
Kilian has also been charged for the attempted murder of Booth.
Last week, three members of the Terrible West Siders gang were found guilty and imprisoned for the shooting attack at the criminal lawyer’s Higgovale home in April last year.
Kauthar Brown, Ebrahim Deare and Riyaad Gesant were convicted for aiding and abetting the activities of a gang, conspiracy to commit murder and the attempted murder of Booth.
Police Minister Bheki Cele welcomed the arrests, saying: "This breakthrough must be congratulated more so because we have always maintained that the murder of Lt Col Kinnear was no random act but a callous act that's part of a conspiracy which is being exposed by the work of the police.
"We also expect more arrests to follow."