Operation Shanela 2 nets 818 arrests across Northern Cape
Operation Shanela 2 saw Northern Cape police arrest 818 suspects in a week-long crackdown involving searches, patrols, and inspections, with drugs, weapons, and alcohol seized as SAPS and partners intensified wide crime prevention efforts.
Image: Supplied / SAPS
The South African Police Service in the Northern Cape has arrested 818 suspects during a week-long high density crime fighting operation conducted across the province.
The arrests were made during Operation Shanela 2, which ran from Monday, January 19 to Sunday, January 25. The coordinated operation targeted a wide range of criminal activities and was led by senior SAPS management at the provincial, district, and station levels.
According to police, the operation focused on visible policing and intelligence-driven actions, including patrols, roadblocks, stop and searches, compliance inspections, and the tracing of wanted suspects. Members searched 184 premises, 16,415 people, and 7,366 vehicles during the week.
Many arrests were made during Operation Shanela 2, as drugs and dangerous weapons were removed from the streets.
Image: Supplied / SAPS
Detectives also successfully traced and arrested several wanted suspects linked to serious crimes.
Compliance inspections were carried out at licensed liquor outlets, second hand goods dealers, official and non official firearm institutions, business premises, and informal traders, as well as farms and mines. Illegal liquor outlets were closed as part of the operation.
During the crackdown, police confiscated large volumes of alcohol, dangerous weapons, and drugs, including dagga and dagga plants, crystal meth, and mandrax tablets. Various items were recovered, and an undisclosed amount of cash suspected to be the proceeds of crime was seized.
The SAPS worked closely with key partners, including the National Traffic Police, the Department of Health, the Department of Home Affairs, and other law enforcement agencies.
Police management in the Northern Cape praised all stakeholders for their support and participation, adding that similar intelligence driven operations will continue across all five districts of the province to enforce the law and strengthen community safety.