Lentswe, Klerksdorp - Efforts to curb crime and to maintain law and order yielded successes as police and other government departments are hard at work during safer festive operations that forms part of Operation Shanela throughout North West. Operations were conducted from November 11 to 17 and these operations led to the arrest of a total of 1 181 suspects.
According to Col Adele Myburgh, police spokesperson, the suspects, who included 73 suspected undocumented persons, were arrested for various crimes comprising 47 for rape, 15 for murder, seven for attempted murder, 278 for assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm and 36 for common assault, 14 for dealing in drugs, 40 for illegal dealing in liquor, 127 for possession of drugs, 17 for burglary at business and residential premises, 37 for illicit mining, 29 for malicious damage to property to 75 for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Of the total arrests, 372 were apprehended as circulated and wanted during detectives suspect raiding operations.
She added as part of the operations, 174 premises, 3 302 persons and 1 451 vehicles were searched.
Moreover, the operations led to the confiscation of alcohol, cash, 11 firearms, 762 rounds of ammunition, 24 cellular phones, 0.74 kg of gold, explosives, jewellery, two vehicles and a variety of drugs and tobacco products.
The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena indicated that police will continue working together with other law enforcement agencies across the province, to ensure that per-petrators are brought to book.
Crime can be reported on the SAPS Crime Stop number 08600 10111 or the MySAPS application anonymously. Extortion-related incidents can be reported on the Extortion hotline on 080 091 1011.
