Flying Squad bust in Ekurhuleni: 15 arrested, explosives and illegal guns seized
The Benoni Flying Squad arrested 15 people and recovered dagga, stolen vehicles, explosives, and firearms in a crime crackdown across Gauteng.
Benoni Flying Squad members arrested 15 people and recovered dagga, explosives and three firearms in a series of operations between June 9 and 11.
According to spokesperson Warrant Officer Grant Giblin, on June 9 at around 16:00, officers acted on information from a security company about a hijacked white VW Polo travelling past Crystal Park on Pretoria Road.
The vehicle was located in Petit with three occupants aged between 32 and 39. Tests confirmed the car was reported hijacked in a Vosloorus case, leading to the trio’s arrest.
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The following day at about 20:30, a member travelling home on South Main Reef Road, Springs, received a lookout alert for a green Opel Astra involved in an attempted car theft at Ver Oos Rand Hospital.
The officer spotted the vehicle approaching and, with help from a security company, pulled it over. The 39-year-old driver was detained, and investigations revealed the car was stolen in a Springs case and was allegedly linked to other thefts.
Later on June 10, at about 21:00, patrolling officers stopped a silver Toyota Hilux on the corner of Esselen Street, Etwatwa. A search uncovered a large black bag containing dagga valued at about R15 000. Two people, aged 31 and 35, were arrested, and the dagga was seized as evidence.
On June 11 at about 06:30, officers arrested a 40-year-old on Susanna Street, Birchleigh North, after recovering 300 zip lock bags of dagga valued at around R3 000 based on information received.
That afternoon at around 14:30, members on Main Reef Road, Rynsoord, Benoni, searched two suspicious individuals near the road.
They found detonation cords and film-wrapped explosives in their bags and arrested the two, aged 25 and 27. A Bomb Squad officer was called to verify and secure the explosives as exhibits.
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Shortly after, at about 14:45, members, security personnel and the EMPD arrested six people and recovered three firearms following a business robbery at a factory on North Road, Glen Marais.
The robbers had stolen an undisclosed sum of cash from the company safe, while officers recovered employees’ cellphones and jewellery.
In a separate incident, members apprehended a 56-year-old on Station Road, Brakpan, for being an illegal immigrant.
All suspects will appear in local magistrates’ courts facing charges including possession and dealing in drugs, possession of hijacked and stolen vehicles, unlawful possession of explosives, business robbery, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. Investigations are ongoing.
