Picture: One of the firearms confiscated during Operation Shanela/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
More than 1000 suspects were arrested during Operation Shanela. The North West police spokesperson, Col Adele Myburgh said, the aggressive policing approach is showing its effectiveness through crime prevention and combatting operations.
Myburgh further said its value and impact on the overall policing strategy is showing after 1 059 suspects were arrested across North West from 17- 20 August 2023.
“Forty eight suspects were nabbed for possession of drugs, 42 for dealing in drugs, 27 for illegal dealing in liquor, 90 for assault with the intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), 52 for assault common, 31 for burglaries, 25 for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and 10 for murder.
“The 209 illegal immigrants were taken in for processing by the Department of Home Affairs. Shanela Operations also resulted in the confiscation of 9 firearms, 1 rifle, 2 shotguns, knives, precious metals, tobacco products, a truck, 8 vehicles, a variety of drugs and explosives, and liquor,” she added.
Myburgh said, furthermore, 5 458 persons and 2506 vehicles were searched, while 199 licensed liquor premises were inspected of which 27 unlicensed liquor premises were closed down. She said in one of the operations in Boitekong on 17 August 2023, a team consisting of Brits Crime Intelligence, Marikana Crime Prevention, Rustenburg K9 and Rustenburg Flying Squad operationalised information received, leading them to an address in Extension 5.
“The police knocked on the door and the suspect aged 24, attempted to flee when he saw the police but was caught. Upon further investigation, the police found two pistols and ammunition in his possession. He was then arrested for possession of a firearm and ammunition without a license.
“In another operation conducted in Marikana on Thursday evening, a team consisting of Marikana Crime Prevention, Rustenburg K9, and Rustenburg Flying Squad, conducted an intelligence-driven operation at Tlapa Village. The team found copper to the value of R30 000 at an identified house,” said Myburgh.
She said a suspect (44) could not account for the copper cable and he was immediately arrested. Myburgh said, at Mogwase, another suspect aged 40, was arrested for allegedly being in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition in the early hours of the morning of Friday at his house in Diphale Section in Sefikile village.
“The police, consisting of Rustenburg Crime Intelligence and the Rustenburg Mounted Unit, operationalised information received and searched the suspect’s house and found a 9mm pistol, ammunition, and three magazines that the suspect could not account for.
“Lastly, in another incident conducted by the Provincial Organised Crime Unit on Friday, a search warrant was obtained to search a house in Ikageng, Extention 2 in Sarafina. During the search, the police found 21 sticks of Ammonium Nitrate blasting explosives and arrested a man aged 42 for possession of explosives,” she said.
Myburgh said the suspects appeared in various courts throughout the province today.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena expressed his gratitude to all the police including those of other law enforcement agencies and government departments for their participation in the high-density operations. He said the communities have so far welcomed the aggressive approach to crime and it is on this score that, operation Shanela will be intensified.
The Guardian 