About 131 people were arrested during a crime prevention operation in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, police said yesterday.

About 131 people were arrested during a crime prevention operation in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, police said yesterday.

Inspector Kriban Naidoo said the operation began on Tuesday night and ended yesterday morning and was primarily intelligence-driven.

The crimes for which the suspects were arrested included assault, robbery, possession of drugs, public violence, fraud, shoplifting, possession of dangerous weapons and suspected stolen property, as well as assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Some people were arrested for contravening by-laws, including tampering with public facilities, loitering, urinating in public and illegal hawking.

Two wanted men were arrested when their case numbers appeared on the hand-held "morpho-touch" fingerprint identification machine.

Police confiscated cocaine rocks, powder, police foot-cuffs, fake Irish, Zimbabwean and S A passports and two firearms. - Sapa