The Eastern Cape SAPS are committed to make communities safer through multidisciplinary operations, conducted by various state entities, to ensure strict compliance with the various laws and regulations governing society, with related arrests made over the past few days.
In a statement today, the Eastern Cape police said operations were intelligence-driven to address crime and criminal activities in a structured and co-ordinated manner.
The operations intensified in the past week and are expected to continue indefinitely.
The following successes have been recorded thus far;
- More than twelve thousand (12 318) persons and more than three thousand five hundred (3 580) vehicles were stopped and searched together with more than ninety seven (97) premises related to illicit drugs and two hundred and forty three (243) liquor premises were visited.
- More than one thousand (1 053) suspects have been arrested and appeared in various courts on different charges including murder, rape, assault with intent to commit grievous bodily crime, robberies etc.
- Two hundred and thirty three (233) suspects were arrested for crimes detected as a result of police action; 186 for drug related crimes, 33 for driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs and 14 for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
- Twenty five (25) firearms including pistols, rifles and shotguns together with 90 rounds of ammunition.
Concerning was the recovery of dangerous weapons which were hidden not far from the local school by Willowvale SAPS when they responded to a complaint of educators. Allegations are that the weapons were hidden by the school boys who were fighting.
Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Liziwe Ntshinga noted with concern the dangerous weapons alleged to belong to the school-age boys. “In terms of the Dangerous Weapons Act of 2013 (Act No.15 of 2013), it is a criminal offence to possess a dangerous weapon with the intention of committing an unlawful act. If the possession of a dangerous weapon raises a reasonable suspicion that the person intends to use the dangerous weapon to commit an unlawful act, the person may be found guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to be imprisoned for a period not exceeding three years”, she said.