Roadblocks, raids and round-ups: Police net 252 in Northern Cape crime crackdown
Police roadblocks across the Northern Cape led to hundreds of searches and dozens of arrests during a week-long crackdown on serious crime.
Image: Supplied / SAPS
A SWEEPING, province-wide crackdown on crime in the Northern Cape has seen 252 suspects arrested during a week of high-impact operations targeting serious offences, wanted criminals, and illegal establishments.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Cherelle Ehlers said that Operation Shanela - which ran from June 9 to 15 - deployed law enforcement teams across all five districts, focusing on high-density areas and known crime hot spots. The initiative followed the release of the latest provincial crime statistics and sought to address priority crimes including murder, rape, burglary, and drug-related offences.
Police teams, working alongside other government departments and community policing forums, conducted a series of roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, stop-and-search operations, and compliance inspections. Over 2,800 vehicles and more than 5,000 individuals were stopped and searched, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of weapons, drugs, stolen goods, and illicit alcohol.
The crackdown also uncovered several illegal liquor outlets, which were shut down for flouting regulations — part of an effort to curb alcohol-related crimes, especially assaults and domestic violence. Police say alcohol abuse remains a key driver behind many contact crimes in the province.
Detectives executed tracing operations to locate and arrest wanted suspects who had previously failed to appear in court or were evading justice. Simultaneously, raids were conducted on scrapyards, second-hand dealers, farms, and informal businesses to ensure compliance.
Adherence to Road Traffic Regulations was also enforced during the operation, while community engagement played a central role in the week’s efforts. Police, in partnership with local structures, hosted awareness campaigns to tackle social ills such as substance abuse, gender-based violence, and child protection.
Authorities hailed the operation as a major success and credited the strong collaboration between law enforcement agencies, government departments, and members of the public for the week’s results - sending a strong message that crime will not go unchallenged in the Northern Cape.