Operation Shanela keep on sweeping clean throughout the province
Operation Shanela, the multi-disciplinary, intelligence driven high density crime prevention and combatting operation has an enormous impact in stabilising and fighting crime in all five districts of the province.
The high density operations which commenced on Monday, 10 July 2023 until Sunday, 15 July 2023 across the province, continued through regular stop and searches; vehicle checkpoints; roadblocks; cordon and searches; high visibility patrols including food patrols; tracing of wanted suspects with a focus on the apprehension of murder and rape suspects; compliance inspections at liquor outlets’ businesses and second hands goods dealers.
The following operational actions and successes were recorded across the five districts.
Twenty six (26) VCPs and ten(10) roadblock were conducted, during which 1932 vehicles and 3818 persons were stopped and searched. Numerous disruptive actions included police stop and search actions, blue light high visibility patrols and 342 compliance inspections were conducted at second-hand dealers, scrapyards, shebeens, taverns, liquor outlets and businesses.
318 suspects of which 191 were wanted suspects apprehended during tracing operations executed by detectives. The arrested suspects were detained for various crimes ranging from murder, shoplifting, assault on police members, assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, assault common, contravention of the Immigration Act, possession of suspected stolen property, theft, copper cable, dealing in drugs, possession of drugs, malicious damage to property, Burglary Residential, Burglary Business, Driving under the influence of drugs, illegal dealing in liquor theft and warrant of arrest.
Drugs with an estimated street value of R146 436-00 were confiscated and recovered stolen goods valued at R 191 341-00 were seized.
One (1) vehicle and one (1) motorcycle believed to be used in a commission of a crime was confiscated, with one illegal firearm and copper cables and cash amounting to R 21 690,44 believed to be proceeds of crime was confiscated.
Of the successes included a suspect arrested for possession of Telkom copper cables in Deben. Numerous arrests for dealing and possession of drugs, police actions were also executed at a mine in the Boetsap area undocumented persons were arrested and detained and mining equipment and implements were seized.
Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, thanked members for their efforts in the reduction of all categories of crime and commended District Commissioners, Senior Management, external law enforcement agencies and Stakeholders including the community policing forum structures in leading and participating in the weekly high density crime prevention and combatting operations by discouraging criminal activities and by reassuring our communities that their safety is of paramount importance.
Source: South African Police Service