Pretoria: The South African Police Service (SAPS) has successfully arrested 18,634 suspects over the past week, marking a significant effort towards enhancing public safety and upholding the rule of law. This extensive operation highlights the SAPS’s commitment to tackling crime and ensuring community security.
According to South African Government News Agency, of the arrested individuals, 3,087 were wanted for serious and violent crimes, including murder, rape, hijacking, and armed robbery. The police apprehended 131 suspects for murder, 140 for attempted murder, and 157 for rape. Furthermore, 722 individuals faced charges for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, while 1,714 were arrested for illegal migration offenses.
The operation also resulted in the arrest of 106 individuals for the illegal possession of firearms, with KwaZulu-Natal leading the count at 32 arrests, followed by Eastern Cape with 21 and Gauteng with 19. In addition, 232 suspects were detained for drug trafficking activities.
The week’s operations led to the confiscation of high-value contraband and dangerous goods, including 18,882 units of abalone, 180 firearms, and 2,921 rounds of ammunition. In a notable initiative, SAPS National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, spearheaded the destruction of drugs valued at over R400 million in Gauteng.
In another significant enforcement action, the National Tracking and Tracing Task Team, as part of Operation Buyisa, seized 226 firearms from a registered private security company for violations of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act 60 of 2000).
A coordinated Inter-Provincial Operation led to the arrests of 116 suspects across Frances Baard, Namakwa, and Pixley Ka Seme in the Northern Cape. Notable seizures in Colesberg included illicit cigarettes, a truck valued at R7.5 million, stolen goods, and a maroon VW Polo linked to criminal activities. Recovered items also encompassed firearms, ammunition, counterfeit goods, drugs, alcohol, weapons, and cash.