KEY POINTS
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Police made 13,579 arrests during a KwaZulu-Natal crime crackdown.
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Limpopo mine extortion and drugs were key crime targets.
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Officers arrested 156 people for murder in the province.
Authorities reported on Tuesday that following coordinated operations throughout the province throughout April, KwaZulu-Natal police detained 13,579 individuals and retrieved 313 guns.
Thousands arrested in KwaZulu-Natal crime crackdown by SAPS
During many intelligence-driven raids and roadblocks, police confiscated 3,806 rounds of ammunition and 25 guns, according to police spokesperson Col. Robert Netshiunda.
“Officers who worked day and night pursuing people who are in conflict with the law are responsible for these arrests,” Netshiunda stated.
He also mentioned that 3,336 suspects were taken into custody by police for a variety of contact crimes, including serious ones that endanger both individual and community safety.
During occurrences recorded throughout KwaZulu-Natal, 1,540 suspects were charged with assault with intent to cause severe bodily harm.
A total of 178 people were hauled in for alleged rape cases, while 194 suspects were also arrested in relation to robberies.
In just 30 days, the province made 34 arrests for sexual assault, according to Netshiunda, a statistic he described as “deeply concerning and revealing.”
In just 30 days, 34 people were arrested for sexual assault, he claimed, “strongly signaling our intent to protect women and children.”
Additionally, police detained 140 suspects for attempted murder and arrested 156 people for murder in other province districts.
According to Netshiunda, detectives and crime prevention units collaborated to find and apprehend violent criminals in specific, high-crime regions.
Drugs and firearms drive KwaZulu-Natal crime crackdown momentum
In April, police detained 1,863 people in connection with the distribution or possession of illegal drugs as part of larger anti-drug operations.
Additionally, authorities revealed that 61 people had been arrested in connection with stock theft, a crime that impacts livestock owners and rural communities throughout the region.
According to Timeslive, to combat the growing tendency of stock theft, police worked with agricultural communities to undertake follow-up investigations and continuous rural patrols.
Netshiunda underlined that officers will keep up their efforts to prevent crime and ensure public safety throughout the province.
“As we strengthen our resolve to bring all offenders to justice and restore order in KwaZulu-Natal, operations will continue,” he declared.
