Pretoria: Over 5000 suspects have been arrested for various crimes while 105 unlicensed firearms were recovered in the month of September, said KwaZulu-Natal police.
According to South African Government News Agency, the South African Police Service (SAPS) announced that of the 5,527 suspects arrested across the province, 1,464 were apprehended for contact crimes, with 730 of them specifically charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Additionally, 85 individuals were arrested for murder, and 93 suspects were taken into custody for attempted murder.
The SAPS statement highlighted that these arrests and recoveries are the result of continuous efforts by various police units targeting specific areas with rising crime rates. Operation Shanela’s primary objective is to address regions experiencing a spike in criminal activities.
The police operations also led to significant drug recoveries. The SAPS reported that a total of 921 individuals involved in narcotics activities were arrested, and drugs were seized during the operations. Furthermore, 51 suspects were detained for possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The arrested suspects have already appeared in various courts across the province. However, the SAPS emphasized that the efforts of Operation Shanela II extend beyond these initial arrests and recoveries. Ongoing investigations aim to uncover potential connections between the detained suspects and other criminal activities.
Additionally, the recovered firearms will undergo ballistics testing to ascertain if they were used in other crimes, the SAPS confirmed.