Over 300 arrested on New Year’s Eve in North West

Altogether 305 residents of the North West province spent the early hours of 2021 behind bars – the majority of them for contraventions of the lockdown regulations.

The police continued the “Safer Festive Season” operations in the province between Thursday and the early hours of Friday, nabbing 305 suspects for different crimes.

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“The suspects were arrested during operations conducted in all districts to enforce the Disaster Management Act regulations and ensuring general community safety during the New Year celebration,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.

Out of the 305 arrested suspects, 270 were apprehended for contravention of the Disaster Management Act regulations, as follows: 176 for failure to confine to residence; 83 for being in public or open space without wearing a mask; six for sale and dispensing of liquor; two for transportation of liquor, and three for drinking liquor in public.

“The other 35 suspects were nabbed for crimes ranging from assault, robbery, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, driving under the influence of liquor, burglary to theft.”

Furthermore, the police also confiscated liquor, fireworks, drugs, a firearm and ammunition.

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Mokgwabone said the provincial commissioner of North West, Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena, commended the law enforcement officials for their commitment and positive response to the call to ensure the wellbeing of the community by putting behind bars those who transgress the law. Kwena said that the operations will continue, “…to tighten the grip on crime”.

News24 Wire 

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