Supplied
The continued commitment of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Northern Cape was once again demonstrated through the execution of Operation Shanela II conducted across all five districts in the province that led to the arrest of 576 perpetrators.
The operation, carried out from Monday, 9 February 2026 to Sunday, 15 February 2026, formed part of ongoing intelligence-driven initiatives aimed at preventing crime, stabilising identified hotspots, and ensuring safer communities.
The operations were led by District Commissioners and Senior Managers on Provincial, District and Station level, supported by various law enforcement stakeholders.
During the operational period, numerous premises were searched, while 12 623 persons and 5 006 vehicles were stopped and searched.
Members conducted stop-and-search operations, high-visibility patrols, vehicle check points (VCPs), and roadblocks as part of intensified crime prevention efforts.
Several suspects were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Detectives also executed tracing operations which led to the arrest of numerous wanted suspects who had been evading arrest for an array of crimes.
Compliance inspections were conducted at liquor outlets, second-hand goods dealers, scrapyards, recyclers, firearm dealers, informal businesses, mines, and farms to ensure adherence to relevant legislation. These inspections resulted in the closure of 16 unlicensed liquor outlets.
In total, 576 suspects were arrested for various offences, including drug related crimes, illegal dealing in liquor, robbery, murder, attempted murder, rape, assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and burglary.
During the operations, large quantities of alcohol and drugs were confiscated. Counterfeit goods, dangerous weapons, and money suspected to be the proceeds of crime were also seized.
Police and Community Policing Structures continue to conduct awareness campaigns to address gender-based violence, contact crimes and other trending crime patterns.
The Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in the Northern Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola and her management welcomed the positive outcomes and reaffirmed SAPS’ commitment to safeguarding communities and maintaining safety and security across the province. She further encouraged members of the public to continue working with law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime.
Comments are closed.