Operation Shanela leads to more than 500 arrests in Northern Cape – SABC News

Police in the Northern Cape say they have arrested 525 suspects across the province in the past week.

They say the arrests are part of Operation Shanela. Police spokesman Sergio Kock said officers focused on hotspots for violent crime.

“Vehicle checkpoints and roadblocks were carried out across the province, with 2,270 vehicles and 4,617 persons stopped and searched. Police carried out various actions, including numerous compliance inspections at second-hand dealers, scrap yards, recyclers, private security, firearms dealers, formal and informal businesses, farms and mines. 382 suspects were arrested for murder, attempted murder, rape, theft, assault, burglary, malicious damage to property, trafficking and possession of drugs, illegal mining.”

Meanwhile, police say the Northern Cape Organized Investigation Unit’s concerted efforts to tackle drug traffickers have led to the arrest of two Somali nationals in the Western Cape.

The unit, together with the Colesberg Highway Patrol Unit, followed up on information about the two suspects and seized boxes of Khat worth R275,000.

Kock explains: “The investigation led police to Kraaifontein in the Western Cape and with the assistance of the Western Cape Organized Crime Investigations Narcotics Unit, the two suspects were arrested with boxes of Khat in their possession. The suspects, aged 38 and 42, will soon appear in the Kraaifontein District Court.”