The Hawks made significant inroads in apprehending individuals involved in high-profile cases (@SAPoliceService/X)
- The Hawks boss briefed the media on Sunday.
- Gauteng and KZN had the most arrests for serious crime in the first quarter of 2024/2025.
- Three clandestine drug laboratories were dismantled in Gauteng.
The head of the Hawks, Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, said Gauteng had the most arrests for serious crime, followed by KwaZulu-Natal.
Lebeya was briefing the media on Sunday on the progress his unit had made during the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year.
He said the Hawks had made significant inroads in apprehending individuals involved in high-profile cases, arresting a total of 673 people during the period.
“These arrests targeted people involved in serious corruption, fraud, money laundering, police killings, cash-in-transit robberies, illegal mining, damage to essential infrastructure, and crimes against the state,” Lebeya said
“A total of 673 suspects, representing 637 natural persons and 36 juristic persons [entities or corporations] were secured before the various courts in the country.
“Of these natural persons, 489, which is 77%, are South Africans, while 148, which is 23%, are foreign nationals.
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“Most of the arrests were effected in Gauteng, with 167, KwaZulu-Natal, with 114, North West, with 92, Mpumalanga, with 57, and the Eastern Cape, with 56.”
Lebeya added that 68 firearms and 1 797 rounds of ammunition had been seized.
Three clandestine drug laboratories were dismantled in Gauteng, to the value of R16 179 300.
During the same period, the Hawks secured 506 convictions.
