Police seize drugs, undocumented individuals, and suspects during Norwood Operation Shanela crackdown
Read more: Rosebank Police Station and the JMPD take Parkwood street racing allegations seriously
In addition to the 19 undocumented individuals taken into custody, police arrested two suspects for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Another suspect was apprehended for drug possession, while 15 zip-lock packets containing suspected narcotics were discovered abandoned in a park near Waverley, not far from Corlett Drive in Melrose.
Further into the operation, officers arrested a suspect found in possession of a toy firearm, a black-handled knife, and a credit card believed to have been stolen during a robbery. In a separate incident, one person was arrested after being found with a stolen identity document. SAPS also confirmed that drugs were confiscated near the M1 on-ramp at Glenhove in Houghton.
A second-hand goods business was immediately closed for non-compliance with regulations, and 10 traffic fines were issued for various offences committed during the operation. In total, police searched 417 individuals and nine premises across the Norwood area.
The large-scale operation involved collaboration between 21 police stations from Johannesburg's East, North, and Central areas, as well as the SAPS K9 unit, JMPD, Gauteng Traffic Wardens, Norwood CPF, Home Affairs, and private security companies. Brigadier Vusimuzi Michael Ngubane served as the overall operational commander, with Brigadier Mitchell Jones leading ground efforts.
Warrant Officer Eric Mastosha praised the role of the community, saying that many of the arrests and discoveries were made possible thanks to residents' tip-offs. 'It shows we are in a strong partnership with our community in the fight against crime,' he said.
The operation was well-received by the public, with many residents expressing appreciation for the increased visibility of law enforcement in the area. According to Mastosha, the targeted hotspots were all attended to, and while no illegal firearms were recovered, the operation addressed several key concerns raised by the community.
Authorities have since confirmed that the Norwood leg of Operation Shanela was a great success.
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