Cape Town – As part of Operation Lockdown, integrated forces have embarked on various operations that resulted in a significant reduction in serious violent crimes, the SAPS said on Monday.
A total of 284 arrests were made for an array of crimes during operations comprising roadblocks, raids, search-and-seizures and the tracing of wanted suspects by the SAPS, Metro Police, Traffic and SANDF members deployed to various parts of the Khayelitsha, Blue Downs, Nyanga, Cape Town, Mitchells Plain and Tygerberg clusters.
Major roadblocks were executed on highways such as the N2, N7 and N1 as a crime-prevention measure.
A total of 284 arrests were made from the operations that were conducted from Thursday until Sunday, of which 98 were wanted suspects for a series of crimes ranging from theft, burglary to rape and attempted murder as well as murder.
Ten arrests were made for the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. A total of five firearms were confiscated, a zip (home made) gun and sizeable quantities of an assortment of ammunition were seized.
The following are some of the confiscations/seizures and arrests from the operations:
* 11 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
* 67 suspects were arrested for possession of drugs such as dagga, mandrax tablets, crystal meth (tik) and heroin.
* 43 knives were confiscated and 37 suspects arrested for dangerous weapons.
* A total of 29 suspects were arrested for illegal dealing in liquor and 1796 litres of alcohol were seized.
Operation Lockdown was initiated last month as a response to the plea for intervention from communities about serious and violent crimes plaguing the Cape Flats and other townships in the Cape Town metropole.