RUSTENBURG HERALD - NORTH WEST - Operation Shanela that was conducted between Monday, 20 May, until Sunday, 26 May 2024, resulted in the apprehension of 1 123 suspects in the province.
Police, supported by other law enforcement agencies, executed a total of 6 170 actions that included the searching of 2 003 persons, 1 569 vehicles, 893 high visible patrols, ten roadblocks and the inspection of 393 liquor outlets and 29 second-hand goods dealers.
The suspects were amongst others, arrested for crimes such as rape, murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH), common assault, malicious damage to property, burglary (residential and business premises), theft of motor vehicles, theft out of/from motor vehicles, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and many others. Of the 1 123 arrested suspects, 413 were arrested during detective suspect raids. Furthermore, 37 undocumented persons were taken in for processing.
The operation also resulted in the confiscation of 10 cell phones, copper cables, liquor, two vehicles, six unlicensed firearms, 59 rounds of ammunition and a variety of drugs, such as crack cocaine, crystal meth and nyaope.
In one of the incidents reported in Zeerust on Friday morning, 24 May 2024, members of Zeerust Visible Policing found two males walking next to the N4, towards the dumping site, carrying a back-pack. On seeing the police, the pair ran away, but police managed to apprehend one of them. Upon searching him, the police found copper cables with an estimated street value of close to R7000 in the back-pack and immediately arrested him as he could not account for the possession. The 39-year-old suspect appeared in the Zeerust Magistrates’ Court on Monday on a charge of possession of suspected stolen property.
The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, congratulated the police officers working together with other law enforcement agencies including Traffic and Home Affairs, to ensure that suspects are brought to book.
