Weekly Shanela Operations continue to deliver positive results in combating illegal activities in the Free State

Weekly Shanela Operations continue to deliver positive results in combating illegal activities in the Free State

June 12, 2025 • News

FREE STATE – The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Free State, in collaboration with other stakeholders, continues its relentless pursuit of criminals through high-impact Operation Shanela initiatives. The latest week-long operations, held from Monday, 2 June to Sunday, 8 June 2025, have once again yielded significant results in eradicating criminal activity across the province.

A total of 1,261 suspects were arrested during this period. Of these, 271 were wanted individuals apprehended by detectives during targeted raids, while 990 were arrested in connection with new cases reported during the week.

Breakdown of the arrests includes:
• 58 for possession of dangerous weapons
• 27 for illegal dealing in liquor
• 62 for possession of drugs
• 121 for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH)
• 99 for common assault
• 151 illegal immigrants
• 40 for malicious damage to property
• 37 for driving under the influence of alcohol
• 29 for residential burglary

Other offences included theft, intimidation, contravention of protection orders, and public violence.

In addition to arrests, police carried out several proactive enforcement actions. These included inspections of liquor outlets, second-hand dealership and commercial farms to ensure compliance with relevant regulations. Mines were also visited to monitor adherence to safety and labour laws.

Numerous items were confiscated during the operation, including drugs, alcohol, dangerous weapons, unlicensed firearms, ammunition, contraband and explosives. These items will form part of the evidence in ongoing investigations and court proceedings. All confiscated firearms have been submitted for ballistic testing to determine whether they were used in the commission of other crimes.

The arrested suspects are expected to appear in various magistrate courts across the province as investigations continue.

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