KwaZulu-Natal tops illegal liquor arrests in SAPS crime crackdown
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of liquor arrests between May 5 and 11 according to the SAPS.
Image: Picture: Suuplied SAPS
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of arrests for illegal liquor dealing during the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) nationwide Operation Shanela, which saw 16,956 suspects arrested for various offences between May 5 and 11.
A total of 871 suspects were arrested across the country for dealing in liquor without a license. Of these, 408 were in KZN alone, highlighting the province as a hotspot for illegal alcohol-related activities.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said SAPS continues to intensify efforts to combat all forms of crime, including Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), illegal firearms, and drug-related crimes.
GBV arrests
“As government intensifies its efforts to prevent and combat GBVF-related crimes, SAPS operations led to the arrest of 224 suspects for rape as well as five suspects for attempted rape,” said Mathe.
Among those arrested during the week for rape incidents were a SAPS trainer and a 54-year-old Inkosi from KwaZulu-Natal. “A SAPS trainer was arrested for the alleged rape of a trainee at one of the SAPS academies,” she said. “A 54-year-old Inkosi from KwaZulu-Natal was arrested for the alleged rape of an 18-year-old female.”
The clampdown also saw the seizure of 152 illegal firearms, with Mpumalanga police accounting for the majority (31), followed by the Western Cape with 19.
In terms of violent crimes, 148 murder suspects were arrested nationally, with Gauteng and the Western Cape accounting for 36 and 38 arrests, respectively. A total of 128 suspects were nabbed for attempted murder.
Mathe also confirmed the seizure of 9,492 mandrax tablets, with 5,839 confiscated in the Western Cape. She added: “A staggering figure of 2,841 suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs, the majority of them being 1,700 in the Western Cape.”
Additionally, 835 suspects were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Both Gauteng and the Western Cape each recorded 195 such arrests.
Police also recovered 86 hijacked or stolen vehicles and seized 74 explosives in the North West province, believed to be linked to illegal mining and cash-in-transit robberies.
In KZN, police fatally shot five double-murder suspects in Hammarsdale, Sunday evening. “The suspects were wanted for the murders of a couple last week. Police received intelligence about their movements and tracked them down,” said Mathe.