Over 17 00 suspects have been arrested across the country, with 79 unlicensed firearms confiscated from 13 to 19 October 2025.
"These crime-fighting initiatives and successes are attributed to intelligence-led takedowns, high-visibility patrols and strategic interventions across multiple provinces," the police said on Monday.
The police's Operation Shanela has also secured the arrest of 2 124 most wanted suspects linked to heinous crimes, including murder, rape, car hijackings and armed robberies.
Key arrests:
- 117 suspects were arrested for murder. KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest arrests 40, followed by Gauteng 27.
- 125 attempted murder suspects were arrested across the country.
- 233 suspects were arrested for rape, with the majority of arrests in KwaZulu-Natal with 119.
- 322 suspects arrested for dealing in drugs, with 62 in the Western Cape, 59 in KwaZulu-Natal, 58 in Gauteng, and 50 in the Northern Cape.
- 1 615 suspects were arrested for possession of drugs, with the majority of arrests in KwaZulu-Natal 418, followed by Gauteng 308, Western Cape 291 and the Eastern Cape 195.
- 141 suspects were arrested for illegal possession of unlicensed firearms.
- Police also arrested 760 suspects for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs 198 in Mpumalanga, 135 in Gauteng and 132 in KwaZulu-Natal.
Major seizures and recoveries
- 1 275 ammunition were seized during this period.
- 25 169 litres of alcohol were seized, including 9,827 litres in Northern Cape alone.
- Contraband worth more than R7.2 million was confiscated, crippling illicit trade networks.
- 74 stolen vehicles were recovered, ranging from sedans to trucks and motorcycles