The South African Police Service (SAPS), through Operation Shanela, has arrested 11 059 suspects between 11 and 17 November 2024.
Operation Shanela crime fighting activities include tracking operations, roadblocks, high visibility patrols, stop and searches, as well as tracing of wanted suspects.
All Shanela operations are led by the Provincial Commissioner of each province.
Just this week alone, the following arrests were made:
- 2 086 wanted suspects were arrested. These suspects were wanted for various serious and violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, business and house robberies.
- 125 suspects were arrested for murder, majority of these suspects were arrested in Gauteng (40), followed by Western Cape (35) and Eastern Cape (17).
- 115 suspects were arrested for attempted murder.
- 191 suspects were arrested for rape. KwaZulu-Natal arrested the majority of these suspects with 86 arrests.
- 1 395 suspects were arrested for assault GBH [grievous bodily harm] during this period.
- 329 drug dealers were arrested --101 more drug dealers behind bars than the previous week
- 1 355 suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs, and the majority of these suspects were arrested in the Western Cape (446).
- 128 suspects were arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms, with the majority of these suspects arrested in Western Cape (47).
- 1 364 illegal foreign nationals were also arrested during this period.
- 405 drivers were arrested for drunken driving in the past week.
Under recoveries and confiscations, police registered the following successes:
- 137 firearms were confiscated in the past week.
- 2 003 rounds of ammunition were also confiscated.
- 61 hijacked and stolen vehicles were also recovered during this week’s operations.
Highlights of major takedowns and other successes include the following:
- In an effort to combat extortion, on 15 November 2024, Limpopo Provincial Organised Crime Unit arrested 11 suspects following allegations of extortion at one of the mines in the Sekhukhune District. The suspects also threatened to close the mine if they did not receive tenders.
- SAPS members in the Northern Cape conducted an intelligence-driven operation last week, which resulted in the arrest of three suspects for unlawful possession of rhino horns and protected plants on the R355 road between Springbok and Gamoep. Police confiscated protected plants with an estimated value of R45 400 and rhino horns worth R449 000.
- Five suspects linked to spiking incidents on the N1 in the Bela-Bela area in Limpopo were arrested and were positively identified during an identity parade.
- Limpopo police arrested two Zimbabwean nationals aged between 25 and 31 the for possession of illicit cigarettes worth more than R1 million in Limpopo. Police intercepted a truck suspected to be smuggling cigarettes from Zimbabwe en-route to Gauteng via Northam. 170 boxes of illicit cigarettes, Remington Gold, with an estimated street value of R1.1 million were seized.
Police will continue with their operations by asserting the authority of the state to ensure the safety and security of all South Africans and visitors to the country. – SAnews.gov.za
