More boots on ground for Operation Shanela
A TOTAL of 381 suspects were arrested for various offences during Operation Shanela operations that were conducted in the Northern Cape from April 29 to May 5, including vehicle checkpoints, stop and searches, foot and vehicle patrols, compliance inspections, and tracing operations by detectives.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock said 2,150 vehicles and 4,491 persons were stopped and searched at vehicle checkpoints and numerous roadblocks throughout the Province.
“Compliance inspections were conducted at second-hand dealers, firearm dealers, liquor premises, formal and informal businesses, mines and farms. Three unlicensed liquor outlets were closed.”
Kock added that patrols were conducted at shopping complexes, malls and in hot-spot areas to intensify police visibility.
“The suspects were apprehended and arrested for crimes ranging from murder, attempted murder, robbery, assault, burglary, theft out of motor vehicle, malicious damage to property dealing and possession of drugs, dangerous weapons, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, illegal dealing in liquor and illegal immigrants as well as contravention of the Second Hand Goods Act.”
Kock stated that detectives in the five districts traced 105 wanted suspects who were on the run from the police.
“A further 276 persons were arrested for other serious crimes.
“Disruptive actions also resulted in the confiscation of large volumes of alcoholic beverages, drugs and numerous dangerous weapons at illegal shebeens, as well as livestock and suspected stolen property in hot-spot crime areas.”
The provincial commissioner of the SAPS in the Northern Cape, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, reiterated that Operation Shanela was putting more boots on the ground to combat contact crimes, drug dealing and GBVF.
