Suspects arrested and dagga seized in the Tzaneen and Ritavi policing areas, Mopani District

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Police in Limpopo have arrested ten suspects aged 40 and 46 and seized 139 kilograms of dagga and R20 000-00 in cash during a Provincial Intervention Deployment under #OperationShanela II conducted in the Tzaneen and Ritavi policing areas, Mopani District between Monday, 21 September 2026 and Tuesday, 22 September 2026.

The operation focused on addressing crime and other identified priority offences in the Tzaneen and Ritavi policing areas and surrounding communities.

During stop-and-search operations conducted in Tzaneen CBD, police arrested one undocumented foreign national, two suspects for using dagga and five suspects for drinking liquor in public.

At the same time, another team conducted a crime intelligence-driven operation in the Ritavi policing area. Information received by the police led the team to a residential premises where a search was conducted. Dagga with an estimated value of R100 000-00 was recovered.

While police were busy effecting the arrest, the 40-year-old suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the members with R20 000-00 in cash. The money was seized and booked into police custody as an exhibit. An additional charge of bribery was subsequently added.

Further information obtained during the operation led police to another residential premises, where additional dagga was recovered. The dagga seized at the second premises was estimated to have a value of R150 000-00.

In total, police seized 139 kilograms of dagga and R20 000-00 cash, with the combined estimated value of the seized exhibits amounting to R270 000-00.

The ten suspects will face the relevant charges and will appear before the respective courts. Investigations are continuing.

OPERATIONAL SUCCESSES

▶️ 10 suspects arrested
▶️ 139kg of dagga seized
▶️ R20 000 cash seized following an alleged bribery attempt
▶️ One undocumented foreign national arrested
▶️ Two suspects arrested for using dagga
▶️ Five suspects arrested for public drinking

As part of the operation, police also conducted extensive patrols and searches in identified crime hotspots and other strategic areas. A total of 40 vehicles, 75 persons and nine pieces of hand luggage were searched.

Police further conducted patrols and visits at 28 ATMs, 11 spaza shops, six filling stations, two malls, 08 banks, 16 business premises, one post office, 02 hostels, 05 taxi ranks, 04 farms, 06 butcheries, 05 religious institutions and 03 warehouses.

The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers, commended the members involved in the operation for their continued efforts to disrupt criminal activities and remove drugs from communities.

“Operation Shanela II remains focused on taking the fight against crime to identified hotspots. We will continue using intelligence-driven operations to disrupt drug trafficking, illegal activities and other forms of crime. Our members must remain firm and uphold the law without fear or favour,” said Lieutenant General Scheepers.