The Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit of the Hawks, working in close collaboration with SAPS East London and the Mdantsane Flying Squad, has arrested a 36-year-old suspect in Dimbaza, Eastern Cape, for his involvement in the abduction of two teenage boys.
The incident occurred when four armed suspects breached a factory's perimeter fence in Dimbaza and encountered three boys, aged 15 to 17.
"One of the boys was reportedly held at gunpoint and forced to surrender the keys to a Mahindra vehicle," said police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba.
The suspects then fled the scene with the two remaining boys, abandoning the vehicle in a forested area near Nakani.
In response to the crime, a swift and coordinated operation led by the Hawks resulted in the arrest of one suspect.
While one suspect has been arrested, law enforcement agencies continue their efforts to locate the other suspects involved.
The Hawks are appealing to the public for any information that may assist in identifying the remaining individuals.
The arrested suspect is expected to appear in the Dimbaza Magistrate's Court on January 16.
"The safety and wellbeing of our communities remain a top priority," said Provincial Head of the Hawks Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya.
Police continue their investigation into the whereabouts of the two missing boys.
IOL News