At least 3,318 people were arrested last year following anonymous tip-offs made to the crime hotline Meld Misdaad Anoniem.

Almost 25,000 crimes were registered with the hotline, a drop of 3% on 2020, the organisers said on Tuesday.

Most tips related to drugs and violent crime, although the number of reports about illegal cannabis plantations were down 11%. Nevertheless, the tips led to the confiscation of 538,000 marijuana plants.

Police also seized 530 guns following hotline reports.

The 2021 coronavirus riots also had an impact on the crime hotline, and callers were ‘very willing to share information about violent offenders and vandalism in inner cities’, the organisation said. 

The hotline was set up in 2002 as a public private foundation and is funded by a annual government grant.