| 2025/02/17 |
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Media Statement PRETORIA – Through its high-density operations commonly known as OPERATION SHANELA, the South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested 12 805 suspects from the period starting, Monday, 10 February 2025 ending on Sunday, 16 February 2025. Through OPERATION SHANELA, the SAPS continues to take a bold and decisive approach in dealing with crime in the country. These crime fighting activities include tracking operations, roadblocks, high visibility patrols, stop and searches as well as tracing of wanted suspects. All SHANELA operations are led by the Provincial Commissioner of each province. Just this week alone, the following arrests were made: ▶️ 2 122 wanted suspects were arrested. These suspects were wanted for various serious and violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, business and house robberies. ▶ 151 suspects were arrested for murder, majority of these suspects were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal (34); ▶️ 121 suspects were arrested for attempted murder; ▶️ 208 suspects were arrested for rape, again KwaZulu-Natal arrested majority of these suspects with 90 arrests; ▶️ 1 447 suspects were arrested for assault GBH during this period; ▶️ 242 drug dealers were arrested in the past week; ▶️ 2 468 suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs, majority of these suspects were arrested in Western Cape (1 508); ▶️ 89 suspects were arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms, majority of these suspects were arrested in KZN (34); ▶️ 1 108 illegal foreign nationals were also arrested during this period; ▶️ 353 drivers were arrested for drunken driving in the past week, majority of arrests in Gauteng (90); Under recoveries and confiscations, police registered the following successes: ▶️ 129 firearms were confiscated in the past week; ▶️ 1 823 rounds of ammunition were also confiscated; ▶️ 70 hijacked and stolen vehicles were also recovered during this week’s operations. Highlights of major takedowns and other successes include the following: ▶️ Mpumalanga police Task Team assigned to lead investigation into the incident where several Putco buses were torched in Nkangala District on 11 February 2025, arrested two additional suspects aged between 31 and 33 years. The total number of the suspects arrested thus far is four. ▶️ A team comprised of SAPS Crime Intelligence, Gauteng Highway Patrol Unit, Provincial Investigation Unit, Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) K9, Bank Investigators and Vusela Covert apprehended three suspects including the ringleader suspected of ATM bombings on 13 February 2025. During their arrest, they were found with dye-stained cash of R160 000 and chemicals used to clean stained money. ▶️ Police in Eastern Cape arrested a 30-year -old man in connection with the murder of a 31-year-old woman in Ludiwana. Police acted on tip-off which led to his arrest. Three firearms, a revolver, and two pistols including police uniform were seized during his arrest. ▶️ Police in Gauteng uncovered a drug syndicate selling steroids, scheduled medicine, stimulants and other performance enhancing drugs (PED’s) online, leading to the arrest of six suspects, three men and three women. These suspects were arrested at various locations in Pretoria. ▶️ A most wanted suspect who was linked to 17 cases of serious and violent crimes was fatally shot in a shootout with police at a hideout place at Ga-Kompane outside Seshego, Limpopo province on 11 February 2025. Police seized a motor vehicle and a firearm in the incident. ▶Three suspects were fatally shot in a shootout with members of the National Intervention Unit (NIU) in Indwe, Eastern Cape province. The incident occurred when police were approaching a suspicious white Toyota Etios with three suspects who opened fire at the police. Two unlicensed firearms and ammunition were recovered at the scene, and the Toyota Etios was also confiscated. ▶️ A multi-disciplinary operation conducted by Pietermaritzburg Flying Squad, Pietermaritzburg Public Order Policing (POP), and local security companies, led to the successful arrest of a 48-year-old suspect for illegal possession of unlicensed firearms at homestead in Ngome. The team searched the suspect’s premises and discovered two rifles, two pistols, and ammunition as well as the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) uniform. Police will continue with their operations by asserting the authority of the state to ensure the safety and security of all South Africans and visitors to the country. Ends
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