A total of 369 suspects were arrested on various charges, including murder, attempted murder, rape, robbery, assault, theft out of motor vehicle and illicit mining, during a police operation in the Northern Cape.
A TOTAL of 369 suspects were arrested on various charges, including murder, attempted murder, rape, robbery, assault, theft out of motor vehicle and illicit mining, during a police operation in the Northern Cape.
Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam said the operation, dubbed “Operation Shanela”, which focused on the reduction of contact and violent crimes, started on Thursday, January 25 and ran until Sunday, January 28.
Sam said that some of the suspects were apprehended during roadblocks set up by the police.
“Actions and police activities executed during the operations included vehicle checkpoints (VCPs), stop and searches, foot and vehicle patrols and compliance inspections. Several VCPs and roadblocks were conducted across the Province during which 3,194 vehicles and 5,667 persons were stopped and searched. Numerous compliance inspections were executed at second-hand dealers, scrapyards, recyclers, private security firearm dealers, formal and informal businesses, farms and mines,” said Sam.
Sam added that wanted suspects were also apprehended during the operation.
“One-hundred-and-nine wanted suspects were traced and brought to book for evading court appearances as well as for the contravention of a court order.
“The police also confiscated large volumes of alcoholic beverages, drugs, non-ferrous metal items and cash that is believed to be the proceeds of crime.”
Sam said that the men and women in blue were lauded for their “relentless sacrifice in the fight against crime”.
“The provincial commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, expressed her gratitude to all law enforcement agencies for the collective efforts and actions executed during this period. Otola also commended the community for their support and for being whistle-blowers by reporting crime,” said Sam.
