The South African Police Service(SAPS) Easter operations resulted in multiple arrests and the confiscation of illegal firearms, reinforcing efforts to combat crime and enhance public safety during the holiday period.
During this period, multiple law enforcement agencies led by the SAPS implemented heightened visibility patrols, roadblocks, and targeted crime-prevention initiatives.
These efforts have yielded significant results with the arrest of 15 840 suspects for various crimes ranging from murder to rape.
Most importantly, 132 illegal and unlicensed firearms including 1097 rounds of ammunition were seized. The province of Kwazulu-Natal seized the majority of handguns with 42 seized.
A total of 747 dangerous weapons including knives were also confiscated. These confiscations are a critical step in our ongoing fight against violent crime.
One of the critical areas we continue to focus on is the regulation of alcohol sales and the shutdown of illegal taverns and just this past week, a total of 532 illegal taverns and shebeens were shut down for non compliance to the liquor act.
773 of those who were found to be selling liquor without a valid liquor license were also arrested. The majority of those without liquor licenses were arrested in KZN (299) and Mpumalanga with 209 suspects arrested.
By shutting down illegal taverns and arresting those who sell liquor unlawfully, law enforcement is taking a firm stand against environments that enable crime to thrive.
During law enforcement operations, 1 419 suspects were arrested for driving under the influence of alchohol. The province of KwaZulu- Natal arrested the majority of drunk drivers with 588, followed by Mpumalanga with 199 and the Eastern Cape province with 197 arrests.
The fight against drugs remains an urgent priority for government to build safer communities and just this week, a total of
1744 suspects were arrested for drug possession. The majority of arrests were effected in the Western Cape with 737, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 341 arrests made.
A breakdown of other arrests are as follows:
Assault GBH: 1342
Murder:146
Attempted murder: 123
Rape:189
House robbers: 171
Dealing in drugs: 334
The National Commissioner of SAPS, General Fannie Masemola has commended the dedication and bravery of our law enforcement officers who continue to work tirelessly—often under dangerous conditions-to rid our communities off crime sighting that their efforts are making a tangible difference in the country.
