A total of 280 suspects were arrested across Ekurhuleni during the latest phase of Operation Shanela II, as law enforcement agencies intensified efforts to combat crime in the district.

The SAPS, together with other law enforcement agencies, conducted coordinated operations from March 18 to March 19.

The initiative targeted priority crimes and aimed to reinforce the authority of the state while improving community safety.

During the operation, detectives arrested 238 suspects while tracing wanted individuals on March 18.

Of these, 159 were linked to contact crimes, five to property-related crimes, 31 to gender-based violence, and 64 to other serious offences.

In the Nigel area, officers conducting a roadblock on March 19 arrested a suspect for possession of an unlicensed firearm and six rounds of live ammunition. In a separate incident during patrols in the same area, another suspect was apprehended with an unlicensed firearm and 20 rounds of ammunition.

Additional arrests were made in Nigel and Crystal Park, including 33 undocumented immigrants, one suspect for dealing in drugs, two for possession of drugs, and two for selling liquor without a licence.

Police also recovered a stolen motor vehicle linked to a case reported in Sophiatown in December 2024. Two unlicensed firearms were seized during the operations, removing dangerous weapons from the streets.

Meanwhile, SAPS Ekurhuleni District social crime prevention members conducted awareness campaigns at schools and shopping centres, engaging communities on crime prevention and safety.

Acting Ekurhuleni District commissioner Brigadier Khumbulani Mbatha commended officers for their continued efforts.

“We applaud the dedication and persistence of our law enforcement teams in the fight against crime. These operations are crucial in ensuring that we squeeze the space in which criminals operate and restore a sense of safety in our communities,” he said.