BRITS POS – BRITS - The Police in the North West Province, working with other law enforcement agencies, conducted high-density, intelligence-led, joint law enforcement operations under Operation Shanela 2 throughout the province between Monday, 11 and Sunday, 17 August 2025. The operations included the setting of 11 roadblocks, searching of 443 premises, 3 004 persons and 1 197 vehicles.
A further 181 stop and searches were conducted and compliance inspections at liquor-selling outlets were conducted, leading to the closure of 22 unlicensed liquor premises. Detectives also participated in the tracing of wanted suspects and arrested a total of 392 suspects for a variety of crimes, linked through fingerprints and DNA.
The operations resulted in a total of 1 137 arrests and recoveries of seven cellular phones, four firearms, 31 rounds of ammunition, a variety of drugs and more than 1 000 litres of liquor.
The arrested suspects included 63 for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, four for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, 144 for possession of drugs, 42 for illegal dealing in liquor, 317 for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) and common assault, 32 for rape, and 64 for burglaries at residential and business premises. A total of 156 illegal immigrants were processed by the Department of Home affairs, of which 27 were arrested by the Vala Umgodi team (Illegal Mining) in the Bojanala Platinum District. The team seized numerous mining related equipment, including jack hammers, drill bits, generators, 13.75 kg of gold bearing material and pendukas.
