Police in Port Nolloth have arrested two men after uncovering a cache of unpolished diamonds hidden inside a vehicle in the Northern Cape, authorities said Friday, in what officials described as part of an intensified crackdown on illegal mining and diamond trafficking in the Namakwa district.
The arrests followed a tip-off received that two suspects were allegedly selling diamonds from a parked vehicle in Port Nolloth, a coastal town long associated with diamond activity. Police officers quickly traced the vehicle, a Nissan light delivery van, parked opposite the beach.
During a search, officers discovered a quantity of unpolished diamonds concealed inside the steering wheel cover, according to Captain Ivan Magerman, a spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Northern Cape. The value of the diamonds has not yet been determined.
The suspects, aged 25 and 34, were taken into custody and are expected to appear soon in the Port Nolloth Magistrate’s Court on charges related to the illegal possession of unpolished diamonds.
Police said the operation forms part of ongoing disruptive actions targeting illegal mining and trading networks in the region. Authorities have pledged to intensify enforcement as part of broader efforts to curb illicit diamond dealing, which officials say fuels organized crime and undermines the formal mining sector.
“This arrest demonstrates our continued commitment to dismantling illegal diamond activities in the Namakwa district,” Magerman said.