249,607 suspects arrested for various crimes between April to September

The South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested 249,607 suspects for various crimes between 1 April and 30 September, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola revealed on Friday.

Masemola was addressing the media about the police’s safer festive season operations over the holiday period.

Of the 249,607 suspects, 141,541 were arrested and charged for contact crimes including murder, attempted murder and sexual offences.

On sexual offences, 11,460 suspected were arrested and charged, while 4,994 have already been successfully processed through the courts and convicted.

7,037 suspects were arrested and charged for aggravated robberies, which include truck hijackings, house robberies, business robberies and cash-in-transit (CIT) heists.

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Of these, 116 suspects have already been convicted.

23,809 suspects were arrested for property-related crimes such as burglary at residential and business premises, theft out of motor vehicle and theft of motor vehicle as well as stock theft, while 2,110 of the suspects have already been convicted.

On contact-related crimes which include arson and malicious damage to property, 25,935 suspects were arrested and charged. 1,293 of these have already been convicted.

58,322 suspects were arrested for other serious crimes, which include fraud, theft and shoplifting, and 9,841 of them have already convicted.

Recoveries

2 338 firearms were recovered during operations with 36 414 rounds of ammunition confiscated

2 843 vehicles that were either hijacked or stolen were also recovered

Crimes at ports of entry

7,928 illegal immigrants were arrested for not being in possession of the required travel documentation.

292 suspects were arrested for narcotic-related crimes and being in possession of various drugs which were seized which include:

• 41 kilograms of cocaine
• 79 082 tablets of Ecstacy
• 153 367 tablets of mandrax
• 61. 045 kg of Nyaope
• 170 487 grams of methamphetamine/Crystal Meth Tik,
•  2 533 715 grams of dagga and or outdoor/hydroponic cannabis),
• 73 428 gram of Heroine (nyaope/whoonga) was also siezed.
• 98 suspects were arrested for the possession of stolen and vehicles.
• 56 vehicles were seized which were not stolen/robbed, but used in the commission of various crimes.
• 22 arrests were made in relation to ferrous- and non-ferrous metals and precious stones and the following confiscations were made: 8 154,5 kg copper, 19,5 metre of copper; and 2,5 kg of gold dust.
• 13 arrests were made in relation to explosives and detonators and the following were confiscated: 1300 capped fuses, 11 detonating fuses, 1282 blasting detonators, 1018 blasting cartridges; and 12 detonating cords.

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