Intensified law enforcement led to the arrest of 92 suspects and the recovery of 92 firearms with ammunition

A province-wide crime crackdown has dealt a heavy blow to criminals as members of #OperationShanela II intensified their fight against illegal firearms. The integrated operations, which included stop-and-searches, roadblocks, and the execution of search warrants, led to the arrest of 92 suspects and the recovery of 92 firearms with ammunition.

The seizures included handguns, homemade firearms, rifles, and semi-automatic weapons, with the majority recovered in the Cape Metropole where communities continue to endure high levels of gun violence.

Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, delivered a strong warning to gangs and criminals: “We are coming for you. There is no hiding place for those who spread fear and violence in our communities. Every illegal firearm removed is a life potentially saved, and we will not stop until every network that fuels bloodshed is dismantled.”