Durban — Operation Shanela and routine policing resulted in the arrest of 8 940 suspects and the recovery of 332 firearms in July in KwaZulu-Natal.
KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the suspects were arrested during ongoing high-density operations dubbed “Operation Shanela” as well as routine police patrols, stop-and-searches and strategically set-up vehicle checkpoints during the month of July.
“Three hundred and thirty-two firearms, inclusive of 273 handguns, 25 rifles,17 shotguns and 17 home-made firearms were recovered in the process,” Netshiunda said.
“Of the recovered firearms, 231 were taken off the streets during day-to-day policing, whereas 101 guns were seized when police conducted ”Operation Shanela”.
Netshiunda said a total of 8 940 suspects were nabbed for a variety of criminal activities, 3 334 of them were cornered and surrounded during Operation Shanela.
“Two thousand four hundred and eighty-two suspects were brought to book for contact crimes including murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, car-jackings, business and house robberies, as well as rape and other sexual offences,” he said.
“With kidnapping seemingly raising its ugly head, police operated and arrested 42 suspects for the crime, 251 culprits were busted for burglary at residential places.”
Netshiunda said alcohol had been identified as one of the major contributors in the commission of crimes, and with that in mind, well-coordinated shebeen raids were conducted and 515 people were arrested for illegal dealing in liquor.
He said 189 people were arrested after they were found to have transgressed on the Domestic Violence Act.
While a total number of 1 532 suspects were nabbed for drug-related crimes.
“Proactive policing by officers in the province led to the recovery of 17 petrol bombs, 543 knives and 24 machetes. Two hundred and fifty-one vehicles were recovered after they were either stolen or hijacked. On the stock theft front, 26 cattle,16 goats and four sheep were recovered during the operations,” Netshiunda said.
WhatsApp your views on this story at 071 485 7995.
Daily News