By REGINALD KANYANE
23 December 2024- More 460 suspects including wanted suspects were apprehended during Operation Shanela. The suspects were arrested for various offences during a tracing operation by the detectives.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sergio Kock said the suspects were arrested for various crimes ranging from murder, shoplifting, assault on police members and assault with the intent to cause Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH).
Kock said this includes attempted murder, assault common, undocumented immigrants, possession of suspected stolen property, theft, copper cable, dealing in drugs, possession of drugs and malicious damage to property. He further said others were arrested for burglary residential, burglary business, driving under the influence of drugs, illegal dealing in liquor theft and warrant of arrest.
“Operation Shanela, the multi-disciplinary, intelligence driven high density crime prevention and combating operation has an enormous impact in stabilising and fighting crime in all five districts of the province.
“The high density operations commenced on 16 until 22 December 2024, across the province and executed 26056 actions such as regular stop and searches, vehicle check points, roadblocks, cordon and searches, high visibility patrols including foot patrols.
“The police also traced wanted suspects with a focus on the apprehension of murder and rape suspects, compliance inspections at liquor outlets’ businesses and second hands goods dealers,” said Kock.
He added that the following operational actions and successes were recorded across the five districts. Kock said multiple vehicle check points and roadblocks were conducted during which 6881 vehicles and 13147 persons were stopped and searched.
“Numerous disruptive actions included police stop and search actions, blue light high visibility patrols and several compliance inspections were conducted at second-hand dealers, scrapyards, shebeens, taverns, liquor outlets and businesses,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, thanked the police 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 Shanela Operations during the festive season.
“We praise you for robustly combating crime by discouraging criminal activities and by reassuring our communities that their safety is of paramount importance during the Festive Season and beyond.
The Guardian 