Tshwane police kept busy on the weekend during operation Shanela

Tshwane police arrested 311 suspects this past weekend on various charges during Shanela operations conducted in Bronkhorspruit, Pretoria Central and Akasia.

The operations ran from June 7 and 9 and included patrols in crime hotspots, business inspections for compliance, and crackdowns on illegal alcohol sales.

The law-enforcement agencies involved in the effort included the Tshwane metro police department, Gauteng traffic department, Prasa, Transnet, departments of Home Affairs and Labour, SARS, Eskom, BTO love security, Drone, Crime prevention wardens, and various units within the SAPS.

A total of 248 individuals were arrested for offences such as assault, housebreaking, public drinking, driving under the influence, and armed robbery.

Officers deployed to patrol the Bronkhorstspruit area inspected seven liquor premises, closed one outlet and confiscated illicit liquor.

Fifteen undocumented immigrants were detained for deportation, and three suspects were arrested for employing illegal immigrants.

“During this operation, 67 individuals, 23 vehicles and 6 premises were searched, resulting in arrests of 14 suspects for driving under the influence of alcohol and 3 suspects arrested for drinking in public,” said police spokesperson, Warrant Officer, Johan van Dyk.

“In Akasia, 161 persons, 29 vehicles and 2 premises were searched, which led to the arrest of one individual for driving under the influence of alcohol with 18 persons arrested and fined for drinking in public. One suspect was arrested for being in possession of dagga and two undocumented immigrants arrested for not having valid documentation,” Van Dyk said.

Thirteen liquor premises were inspected with five being in contravention of the Liquor Act and liquor being confiscated in these raids.

The Pretoria Central police and partners, who also led a Shanela operation on June 7, arrested 30 suspects.

Of the suspects, 26 illegal immigrants were arrested along with two other suspects for possession of drugs, while two firearms were also recovered on separate occasions during the operation.

The firearms were linked to previous cases reported to the police.

Two other male suspects were arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunition.

“The first arrest came earlier in the morning after a 30-year-old male (alleged security guard) was found in possession of an illegal firearm (9mm with eight rounds) on the corner of Scheiding and Bosman streets. It was later discovered he was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and had pending cases,” said police spokesperson, Constable Thabang Nkhumise.

“The second arrest was at midday – a 32-year-old male suspect who was found by patrollers on the corner of Thabo Sehume and Bloed streets in possession of a firearm with a magazine loaded with three pieces of ammunition hidden in his backpack and pepper spray. It was discovered that the firearm was reported stolen at Erasmia SAPS last year,” Nkhumise said.

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