Police in Gauteng arrest more than 1 900 suspects over the weekend

Throughout the weekend, Gauteng police detained more than 1 900 individuals and found 24 illegal firearms.

Suspects were arrested during operations that included weekend Operation O Kae Molao, tracing of wanted suspects, and routine police stop and searches in various parts of the province.

The perpetrators were found to have committed serious and violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, robbery, car hijacking, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, rape, fraud, and theft.

Police detained approximately 490 people in Johannesburg district for offences such as murder, attempted murder, possession of a stolen car, robbery of a business, and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

The combined law enforcement teams from SAPS, EMPD, and Gauteng Traffic Police apprehended around 540 suspects in the Ekurhuleni district. These suspects were apprehended through stop-and-search operations, roadblocks, raids on illegal liquor stores, and raids on wanted suspects.

Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, the provincial commissioner for Gauteng, oversaw Operation O Kae Molao in Rietgat, Tshwane, where more than 25 suspects were detained for driving while intoxicated at a roadblock and two reported stolen cars were found.

Tshwane police detained three individuals for selling diamonds and emeralds unlawfully in Wonderboompoort.

The suspects were discovered to be in possession of emeralds and diamonds worth an estimated R3.6m.

Six hundred and twenty-three suspects in total were detained in the Tshwane district.

Police management in the province extends its gratitude to all law enforcement agencies and acknowledges the importance of community participation in the fight against crime, as most suspects were apprehended as a result of tips, information from the public, and cooperation between law enforcement agencies.

The arrested suspects will appear in various magistrate’s courts within the province in due course.