Operation Prosper leads to two Cape Town arrests

Two men have been arrested in separate incidents in central Cape Town after an intelligence-led police operation resulted in the seizure of tramadol tablets, boxes of ‘fast gas’, an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

The arrests took place on Wednesday, 28 October, during an Operation Prosper deployment in the Cape Town precinct, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a social media update.

The two suspects, aged 23 and 37, were detained at Cape Town Central police station. They are expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court once they have been formally charged.

The first arrest followed a search at a premises in Wale Street, where police apprehended a 23-year-old man on a charge relating to the Medicines Control Act.

SAPS said officers found 11 boxes containing 50 tramadol tablets each, amounting to 550 tablets. They also recovered 44 boxes described in the police update as ‘fast gas’.

During the operation, officers received further information about a firearm allegedly being used in gang-related activities at an address in De Villers Road.

Police followed up on the information and searched the premises, where they recovered an unlicensed firearm and two rounds of ammunition.

A 37-year-old man was arrested in connection with the firearm and ammunition.

SAPS described both arrested men as foreign nationals, as no further details about their identities or nationalities were provided in the update.

Both men remained in police custody at Cape Town Central SAPS following their arrests. They are expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court once they have been charged.

The arrests form part of Operation Prosper, through which police conduct targeted operations informed by intelligence. The latest seizures involved two separate addresses and different alleged offences.

#sapsWC [OPERATION PROSPER MEMBERS DISCOVER AND SEIZE AN UNLICENCED FIRARM AND MEDICINE] An intell driven op has positively landed two male foreign nationals in police custody on Wednesday evening.

The members were deployed in the Cape Town precinct on Wednesday, 28/10, where they arrested a 23tr-old male suspect in Wale Str, Cape Town for contravention of the Medicine Control Act. This arrest follows the discovery of 11 boxes, each containing 50 tramadol tablets and 44 boxes of fast gas at his premises.

During this operation, the members received more information about a firearm being used for gang-related activities at De Villers Road, Cape Town. Members swiftly operationalised the information and proceeded to the mentioned address. Upon conducting a search at the premises, members recovered an unlicensed firearm and two rounds of ammunition. A 37yr-old male suspect was arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Both suspects were detained at Cape Town Central SAPS and will appear at Cape Town Magistrate’s Court once they have been charged. #GunsOffTheStreets ME
https://t.co/xIHycwjdSx

— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) October 29, 2026

---

Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp Channel for content worth tapping into! Click here to join!

---

Also read:

Traffic Update: R300 closed after reported taxi driver shooting

**Picture: **Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels

The post Operation Prosper leads to two Cape Town arrests appeared first on Cape Town ETC.