The South African Police Service in Limpopo has arrested just more than 2000 suspects (2015) for various offenses, including contravening the Disaster Management Act, and seized firearms, drugs and liquor during their heightened festive season operations conducted since 28 December until Monday, 4 January.
The operations were conducted in all four of the province's districts and suspects were arrested for cases that include rape, possession of stolen vehicles, possession and dealing in drugs and illicit cigarettes, selling fireworks without permits, murder, attempted murder, robberies, burglaries, assault on police officers, assault GBH, malicious damage to property, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, stock theft, possession of suspected stolen property, illegal immigration, illegal gambling, public drinking, common robbery, armed robbery, shoplifting, driving under the influence of liquor, theft and the possession of drugs.
Units involved in the operation included the Public Order Police Unit, the Crime Intelligence Unit, detectives, the Limpopo Highway Patrol Team (LHP), the Tactical Response Team (TRT), the Organised Crime Unit, the Stock Theft Unit, the Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit (VCIU) and K9 Unit, joined by provincial and municipal traffic police. In the process of these operations, the police seized 10 firearms, 37 knifes, 3 704 cartons of illegal cigarettes, 201g of dagga, 181 dagga plants, 38g of crystal meth, 41g of nyaope and just more than 774 litres of liquor. Four stolen vehicles were recovered, and 1 724 fines were issued.
The acting provincial commissioner of police, Major General Jan Scheepers, praised the hardworking police teams and all the other law-enforcement agencies. All the arrested suspects were scheduled to appear before the various magistrate courts in the districts while police investigations are continuing.