Nearly 700 arrested in week-long Limpopo crime operation
Police arrested 678 suspects and seized firearms, drugs and alcohol during a week-long high-density crime operation across Limpopo.
LIMPOPO – A total of 678 suspects were arrested across Limpopo during a week-long, multidisciplinary high-density crime prevention operation, Shanela II, police said.
The operation, which ran from July 20 to 26, involved Saps working alongside SANDF, traffic police and several government departments, including Home Affairs, Health, Social Development, Employment and Labour, Economic Development, Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, as well as private sector partners.
Extensive inspections carried out
According to police, officers carried out extensive compliance inspections and crime prevention activities across the province.
These included inspections at:
- 1 330 licensed liquor outlets
- 985 farms
- 4 524 informal businesses
- 364 second-hand goods dealers
- 132 scrapyards
- 388 premises
Officers also searched 17 239 people during the operation.
Breakdown of arrests
The arrests included suspects linked to a range of offences, including:
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Illegal immigrants | 125 |
| Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm | 108 |
| Common assault | 70 |
| Illegal liquor trading | 67 |
| Illicit mining | 44 |
| Malicious damage to property | 43 |
| Driving under the influence | 31 |
| Rape | 20 |
| Possession of illegal cigarettes | 17 |
| Residential burglary | 15 |
| Business robbery | 10 |
| Murder | 9 |
| Business burglary | 9 |
| Theft from motor vehicles | 6 |
| Attempted murder | 4 |
| House robbery | 4 |
| Dealing in drugs | 4 |
| Illegal possession of firearms | 2 |
| Carjacking | 1 |
| Contravening the Firearms Control Act | 1 |
| Offences under the Second-Hand Goods Act | 1 |
Items seized
During the operation, police confiscated:
- Two firearms and 26 rounds of ammunition
- 27 dangerous weapons
- 417.73 litres of alcohol
- 277 tobacco products
- 3 dagga plants and small quantities of dagga, crystal meth and heroin
- 4 copper rolls
- 3 cellphones
- 3 vehicles
- R7 210 in cash
Court appearances
The arrested suspects have appeared, or are expected to appear, in various magistrates’ courts across the province.
Police investigations into the various cases are continuing.
