The South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Operation Shanela has resulted in the arrest of more than 600,000 suspects in its first year.
The initiative, launched in May last year, aims to address crime in high-density areas.
Since its inception, over 71,000 Operation Shanela operations have been conducted, including stop-and-search operations, roadblocks, tracing wanted suspects, and compliance checks for liquor outlets and second-hand goods dealers.
Major General Mashadi Selepe, Head of National Operations Coordination, provided an update on their achievements during a media briefing in Pretoria on Monday.
“We’ve made arrests under the Contravention of Firearms Act, totaling 3,418. We’ve also confiscated firearms and encountered failures to maintain prescribed records. Additionally, there have been arrests related to dealing in liquor, totaling 19,192, and possession of counterfeit goods, totaling 5,041,” said Selepe.
Selepe also reported thousands of arrests for driving under the influence, theft from motor vehicles, human trafficking, and other crimes.
“A total of 17,000 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. For theft of motor vehicles, there were 2,323 arrests. Additionally, there were 183 arrests related to human trafficking, and a further 87,728 arrests were made for various other crimes,” added Selepe.