Cele: Provinces with most Covid infections ‘almost mirror’ arrests for lockdown violations

Minister Bheki Cele has briefed the nation on crimes that have occurred during the pandemic, and the lockdown has apparently been bad for business for robbers and murderers too.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said on Friday there was a link between the regions with the highest number of arrests and the regions with the highest infection rates.

“At one point towards the end of April when we were still on Level 5, we had about 107,000 cases opened with 118,000 people charged for contravention of the lockdown regulations. In just over a month, this number has more than doubled and is almost at 230,000 for contraventions,” said the minister. Organised crime syndicates had taken advantage of the lockdown – especially on the ban of alcohol and cigarettes – by expanding their illegal trade into illicit and counterfeit alcohol and cigarette sales.

“Again this time around, we have compared crime since the lockdown to crime over the same period in 2019.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

TheCitizen_News /  🏆 6. in ZA

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Five police officers ‘brutally’ killed during lockdown, says CeleThe minister says in one incident a young police officer was shot and killed while responding to an incident of domestic violence in Sandton, Gauteng.
Read more »

R2.6m in illegal cigarettes or alcohol seized on SA's borders since start of lockdown: CelePolice minister Bheki Cele says organised crime syndicates have taken advantage of the lockdown to expand ilegal trade in illicit and counterfeit alcohol and cigarettes.
Read more »

R2.6m in illegal cigarettes or alcohol seized on SA's borders since start of lockdown: CelePolice minister Bheki Cele says organised crime syndicates have taken advantage of the lockdown to expand ilegal trade in illicit and counterfeit alcohol and cigarettes.
Read more »

LIVESTREAM: Cele briefing on lockdown regulationsPolice Minister Bheki Cele will hold a virtual media briefing to give an update on police conduct during the lockdown.
Read more »