Operation Shanela Nets Over 1,300 Suspects Across Free State

The South African Police Service (SAPS) said detectives carrying out track-and-trace operations arrested 308 wanted suspects linked to a range of serious offences.

Police in South Africa's Free State have arrested more than 1,300 suspects during the latest phase of Operation Shanela, a coordinated crime-fighting initiative targeting wanted criminals and crime hotspots across the province.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) said detectives carrying out track-and-trace operations arrested 308 wanted suspects linked to a range of serious offences. Those taken into custody include 22 suspects wanted for rape, 10 for sexual offences, seven for murder, 11 for attempted murder, and 67 for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The suspects are expected to appear in various courts in the coming days.

Alongside the detective-led arrests, high-density policing operations resulted in the arrest of more than 1,015 additional suspects for various offences, reflecting the continued focus on disrupting criminal activity across the province.

Police carry out thousands of patrols and inspections

Operation Shanela involved a broad deployment of multidisciplinary law enforcement teams conducting visible policing and compliance inspections in communities identified as crime hotspots. Officers carried out 5,350 high-visibility patrols and conducted 13,227 stop-and-search operations to deter criminal activity and improve public safety.

Enforcement teams also inspected 645 licensed liquor outlets, 147 second-hand goods dealers, 56 scrapyards and recycling businesses, and 76 spaza shops and informal businesses to ensure compliance with relevant regulations.

Authorities further conducted 2,831 farm visits in collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Labour. These inspections formed part of wider efforts to strengthen rural safety, verify compliance with labour and immigration laws, and improve coordination between government agencies.

Drugs, alcohol and suspected stolen copper cables seized

Police also reported the seizure of illegal drugs and suspected stolen property during the operation. Officers confiscated 703 grams of tik (crystal methamphetamine) and 59 mandrax tablets, dealing another blow to drug-related criminal activity in the province.

The operation also led to the seizure of 950.68 litres of alcoholic beverages, 108 packets of tobacco products, and 305 kilograms of suspected stolen copper cables, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat illicit trade and infrastructure-related crimes.

SAPS said Operation Shanela will continue with another round of planned deployments in identified areas of concern across the Free State. Police believe sustained high-visibility policing, intelligence-led investigations and coordinated enforcement actions remain key to reducing violent crime and improving community safety.