A total of 1 457 suspects were arrested across the Free State during the latest Operation Shanela II, as police intensified efforts to combat violent crime, remove illegal firearms and drugs from communities, and disrupt organised criminal activity, reports Parys Gazette.

According to Free State police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomela Kareli, high-density, multidisciplinary operations conducted throughout the province between July 20-26 delivered significant results through increased police visibility, intelligence-driven operations and co-ordinated law enforcement action.
During the week-long operation, police stopped and searched 14 115 vehicles at stop-and-search operations, vehicle checkpoints and provincial roadblocks.

Compliance inspections also formed part of the operation, with 2 784 farm labour inspections, 132 formal and informal business compliance inspections, and 154 scrapyards visited by the SAPS FLASH (Firearms, Liquor and Second-Hand Goods) Unit in collaboration with stakeholder departments.

Hundreds arrested for violent and property-related crimes

Coordinated operations across all five policing districts resulted in the arrest of suspects for a range of serious offences.

Among those arrested were:

24 for burglary

325 for assault

36 for attempted murder

29 for robbery

21 for rape

13 for murder

33 for malicious damage to property

Police also arrested 63 suspects for possession of dangerous weapons, while 23 suspects were charged with the unlawful possession of ammunition. Officers confiscated 65 rounds of live ammunition during the operation.

Drugs, hijackings and wanted suspects

Drug enforcement operations led to the arrest of 90 suspects for possession of drugs and six for dealing in drugs. Police confiscated quantities of mandrax, crystal methamphetamine and cocaine.

Three suspects were also arrested in connection with vehicle hijackings.

Detective tracing teams operating across the province arrested 321 suspects, including several wanted persons with outstanding warrants of arrest.

Stolen copper cable worth R300 000 recovered

One of the major successes of the operation came after members of the Bloemfontein Flying Squad acted on intelligence regarding a truck suspected of transporting stolen copper cable from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg.

The heavy vehicle was intercepted and its 43-year-old driver arrested.

The suspect allegedly told police he had travelled from Wadeville in Germiston to collect recyclable material from a scrapyard in Oranjesig. The truck was escorted to Bainsvlei Police Station, where technicians from Telkom and Eskom confirmed that the load included stolen copper cable valued at approximately R300 000.

A case of tampering with, damaging or destroying essential infrastructure, as well as possession of suspected stolen property, was registered at Glen SAPS.

Stolen transformer oil recovered

In another intelligence-led operation, members of the Heuningspruit Client Service Centre, specialised SAPS units and private security arrested three men, aged 27, 42 and 43, after intercepting a truck carrying two large tanks.

One of the tanks contained transformer oil worth approximately R36 000, which investigators established had been freshly drained from transformers at the Serfontein Transnet substation.

Murder suspects arrested in Mangaung

Police also made progress in solving a murder committed in JB Mafora, Mangaung, on April 26.

Following an intensive intelligence-driven investigation by the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit, Kagisanong Detectives and Parkweg Detectives, two 30-year-old suspects were arrested at a local tavern.

Ammunition seized in Zastron

Acting on information received, police searched a mechanical workshop in Zastron, where they discovered 21 live shotgun cartridges concealed inside a cupboard.

A 41-year-old man was arrested on charges of unlawful possession of ammunition.

Illegal mining and immigration enforcement

Targeted operations against illegal mining resulted in the arrest of 15 suspected illegal miners (zama zamas). Police also confiscated gold-bearing material and mining equipment.

Meanwhile, officials from the Department of Home Affairs processed 134 undocumented foreign nationals, who were handed over to SAPS for further processing and detention.

Traffic enforcement

Joint roadblocks conducted by SAPS alongside provincial and municipal traffic authorities resulted in 325 motorists being arrested for offences under the Road Traffic Act.

An additional 45 drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Police said Operation Shanela II will continue across the province as law enforcement agencies intensify efforts to combat crime, apprehend wanted suspects and improve public safety.

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