Police net over 300 arrests in north crime-tackling efforts

The Citizen

23-05-2025

Police continued their efforts this week to combat crime in the north of Pretoria, which resulted in over 300 arrests.
The police targeted wanted suspects, raided crime hotspots, and issued fines during the operation.
The policing measure was led under the command of Tshwane District Commissioner of Tshwane, Major-General Samuel Thine. The high-impact, high-visibility crime-combating initiative under the banner of Operation Shanela, focused on the Sinoville and Kameeldrift policing precincts on May 22.
SAPS spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk said, 'The joint efforts yielded significant results, with 328 suspects arrested for a range of criminal offences.'
He said the operation maintained a strong emphasis on visible policing, with intensified deployments aimed at enforcing liquor compliance and apprehending wanted suspects.
'Detectives in the Tshwane District were responsible for 280 of the arrests, including 85 suspects linked to gender-based violence-related cases, murder (4), attempted murder (2), armed robbery (4) and rape (3).'
He said targeted patrols were conducted at 18 identified crime hotspots. One suspect was arrested for possession and dealing in dagga after being found with one shopping bag full of dagga, an additional 14 ziplock bags of dagga, and an undisclosed amount of cash.
He added that three liquor establishments that were inspected confirmed full compliance with the Liquor Act.
'In addition, six second-hand goods dealers were inspected and fined a total of R19 000 for contraventions of the Second-Hand Goods Act.'
Van Dyk added a roadblock in Kameeldrift, supported by tactical teams operating throughout the areas of Kameeldrift and Sinoville, led to the detention of 47 undocumented foreign nationals.
'These individuals are currently being processed by immigration officials for deportation.'
He said 652 individuals and 39 vehicles were searched by law enforcement personnel during the operation, and 107 vehicles were tested to determine if they were stolen.
'Traffic officers issued 104 Aarto infringement notices, totalling R50 750 in fines for various road traffic violations.'
Van Dyk concluded with Thine extending his appreciation to all participating role-players for their dedication and commitment to making the operation a success.
ALSO READ: Warning: No water for over four days – Full list of affected suburbs
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to [e-mail] or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!