Once again Partnership Policing prevails as the SAPS, all relevant crime fighting organisations and the community are tightening the grip on criminals during this Festive Season and beyond. The Safer Festive Season joint operations conducted by members of the South African Police Service in the Northern Cape since the beginning of October until 18 December 2020 is not leaving any stone unturned and granting no impunity to alleged criminals.
More than 7200 suspects were arrested for various offences that include driving under the influence of alcohol, dealing in drugs, unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession and dealing in drugs, illicit alcohol, murder, attempted murder, robberies, burglaries, assault, theft, sexual offences, stock theft, possession of suspected stolen properties, illegal Immigration Act, wanted suspects, etc. Several other persons were also arrested for less serious crimes such as drinking in public, public nuisance and riotous behaviour.
The operations were enforced by police station members and beefed up by SAPS Provincial Support Personnel and specialised police units such as K9 unit, Flying Squad, Highway Patrol, Crime Intelligence, Public Order Police Unit, Detectives, Tactical Response Team, Organised Crime Unit, Stock Theft Unit, Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit, and the SAPS Airwing, to mention a few. The visibility was also enhanced with members from the Community Policing Forums and their respective neighbourhood watches in our local communities, Central Business Districts and Shopping Malls. Hundreds of festive season safety hint flyers are being distributed at roadblocks, taxi ranks, hospitals and the public is continually sensitised to adhere to all Covid-19 regulations.
During the operations, as part of enforcing compliance with the Liquor Act, Road Safety, Second Hand goods and other related offences more than 4800 fines were issued for liquor related offences that also included persons who were found drinking and drunk in public. These successes mostly came from compliance inspections to more than 1400 liquor outlets, firearm shops and Second Hand Goods premises. The teams shut down about 80 shebeens and confiscated more than 20 000 litres of illegal concoction.
To add to this, Police during these operations, confiscated a large amount of illegal firearms, hundreds of dangerous weapons, stolen cellular phones, laptops, a huge amount of drugs and dagga.
All the suspects arrested appeared before different magistrate courts throughout the Province.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in the Northern Cape Major General Henriette De Waal sends out her sincere appreciation to all role players involved in these successes thus far and reiterated that no space will be afforded to criminals to operate in the Northern Cape Province, throughout this festive period and beyond.
Police are continuing to urge everyone to report crime to their nearest Police Station, alternatively to the Crime Stop number 08600 10111, anonymously SMS to 32211 or the MySAPS App.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
