Police in KwaZulu-Natal arrested 11 007 suspects, recovered 287 firearms and 5 825 rounds of ammunition during various operations in the month of February.
In a statement, provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said during the operations, 151 suspects were arrested for cases of murder, 159 were arrested for attempted murder and 217 suspects were nabbed for robberies including robbery with aggravating circumstances, carjacking, cash in transit robbery, house and business robberies.
In terms of gender-based violence, 217 suspects were arrested for rape, 37 suspects were arrested for sexual assault. In addition 2 547 suspects were arrested for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and assault common.
On property related crimes, 439 suspects were nabbed for cases such as burglaries at residential and business premises, stock theft as well as theft of and theft out of motor vehicles. During the operations, police also recovered 34 cattle, 46 goats, 33 sheep and four horses.
Netshiunda said while firearms remained the weapon of choice and were used in the commission of murder, attempted murder and armed robbery, police also seized other dangerous weapons including 562 knives, 12 axes and 20 machetes.
On contraventions of the Immigration Act, 569 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested.
For offences linked to alcohol, 1 107 people were arrested for liquor related crimes such as drinking and being drunk in a public place, illegal dealing and distribution of liquor and illegal macro-manufacturing of liquor.