FREE STATE – Inter-departmental Operation Shanela, between various law enforcement agencies in the Free State, continues to reduce the space for criminals in the province.
These operations took place in the last week of August throughout the province.
According to police spokesperson, Sergeant Sinah Mpakane, the aim of the operation was to tackle three types of crimes, including carjacking, house robberies and burglaries, cash-in-transit robberies, murders and rapes.
“The operations involved searches of people and vehicles, the establishment of roadblocks and vehicle checkpoints, and the visit and search of drinking establishments, scrapyards and recycling sites,” she said.
Mpakane said police have arrested 279 wanted suspects for crimes ranging from murder, attempted murder, rape, assault, violence against men and many more.
“Operation Shanela saw the arrest of 1,119 suspects, including 118 for grievous bodily harm, 155 for assault, 41 for rape, 58 for possession of dangerous weapons, 36 for drink driving and 52 for illegal mining, to name a few,” she added.
Mpakane said the police managed to seize alcoholic beverages, counterfeit goods, dangerous weapons, mobile phones, dagga, drugs, firearms and money believed to be proceeds of crime, which will be used as evidence where necessary during the trial.
“All suspects will appear in different courts in the province on different days. The seized firearms will be sent to ballistics to check that they have not been used in the commission of other crimes,” she said.
Sedibeng Ster
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