The police arrested 793 suspects during the Operation Shanela, which was conducted across the Western Cape from Monday, July 15 to Sunday, July 21.
In a police statement, Colonel Adéle Myburgh said the suspects were arrested for a range of serious crimes, including rape, murder, assault, malicious damage to property, residential and business burglary, motor vehicle and motorcycle theft and theft from motor vehicles.
Additionally, 54 individuals were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Among the 793 arrested suspects, 347 were arrested for contact crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, common assault, house robbery and business robbery.
Furthermore, 29 undocumented persons were taken in for processing.
The arrests were made through various actions, including stop and searches, roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints and visits and inspections of 56 licensed liquor premises and 13 second-hand good dealers.
“The operation also resulted in the confiscation of a variety of drugs, dangerous weapons, four handguns and ammunition, three vehicles, liquor, tobacco products and 11kg of cables,” said Myburgh.
The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena congratulated the police on their successes and expressed his gratitude to the members for their tireless efforts in keeping suspects behind bars.
IOL News