More than 17,000 suspects were arrested during nationwide Operation Shanela deployments between 24 and 30 August, the South African Police Service says.
Police reported that drug possession was the largest single arrest category, with 1,967 people taken into custody. A further 280 people were arrested for alleged drug dealing.
SAPS spokesperson Vincent Mukathi said intelligence-driven operations targeted organised drug trafficking and distribution across several provinces. Police also reported seizures of illegal firearms, ammunition and narcotics.
Police give provincial and immigration figures
According to the weekly operational figures, Gauteng recorded 43 rape-related arrests and the Western Cape recorded 28.
Police also arrested more than 2,250 people for alleged immigration offences during the seven-day period.
The arrests were made through roadblocks, suspect-tracing operations, stop-and-search activity and targeted deployments involving police and other law-enforcement agencies.
The figures record arrests rather than convictions. Those accused remain entitled to due process, and individual cases must still proceed through the criminal justice system.
SAPS runs Operation Shanela as a continuing high-density policing programme targeting violent crime, wanted suspects, illegal firearms, drugs and organised crime.
