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SAPS Easter Blitz Shuts 532 Illegal Liquor Outlets, Nets 15,840 Arrests

Police describe a coordinated push to curb violent crime by closing illegal bars with parallel weapons seizures.

Overview

  • The South African Police Service led a nationwide holiday operation that used roadblocks, high‑visibility patrols and targeted raids to disrupt crime hotspots.
  • Liquor enforcement closed 532 unlicensed taverns and shebeens, while 773 people were arrested for selling alcohol without permits, led by KwaZulu‑Natal and Mpumalanga.
  • Road‑safety checks recorded 1,419 drunk‑driving arrests, with the highest tallies in KwaZulu‑Natal, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape.
  • Drug‑possession arrests reached 1,744, concentrated in the Western Cape and KwaZulu‑Natal, according to police figures.
  • Officers seized 132 illegal firearms, 1,097 rounds of ammunition and 747 other dangerous weapons, and the national commissioner praised members for removing tools of violence from the streets.