895 suspects arrested as Operation Shanela II hits De Deur

A major weekday crime-fighting operation has resulted in the arrest of 895 suspects as police intensified Operation Shanela II in De Deur and other parts of Gauteng.

The operation began with overnight raids by detectives targeting wanted suspects. According to police, 197 of those arrested were linked to crimes committed against women and children.

Law enforcement then turned its attention to the R82 in De Deur, Sedibeng District, where a multidisciplinary team mounted a roadblock as part of the high-density operation.

“At the roadblock mounted on the R82 in De Deur, the multidisciplinary team has so far arrested 33 illegal immigrants, two people for possession of drugs, while one liquor outlet was closed for non-compliance,” police said.

Police added that the operation was not limited to arrests and enforcement.

“Parallel to the operation, the Provincial Corporate Communication and Marketing team engaged motorists by distributing pamphlets aimed at raising awareness about substance abuse, gender-based violence and crime-prevention tips,” SAPS said.

The operation forms part of SAPS’s continued use of Operation Shanela II to target serious and violent crime through detective tracing operations, roadblocks, stop-and-search activities, high-visibility patrols and compliance inspections.

Police said the 895 arrests demonstrate the continued focus on tracing wanted suspects and addressing crimes affecting vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.

The De Deur operation also targeted immigration-related offences, drug possession and compliance at liquor outlets, while police visibility was strengthened along the busy R82.

Operation Shanela II is expected to continue across identified crime hotspots as SAPS intensifies enforcement and community crime-prevention efforts.