Man caught with explosives in Pretoria

A man was caught with 10 sticks of commercial explosives and detonators on Tuesday at a Makro in Silverlakes, Pretoria police said.

Warrant Officer Dave Miller said the Pretoria police’s K9 Unit and Garsfontein police crime prevention unit arrested the man on the spot, Rekord East reported.

Miller confirmed the bomb disposal unit were on the scene by morning.

“We suspect the man was trying to sell the explosives.” he said.

Police were tipped off yesterday (Tuesday) morning about a 30-year-old-man from Mpumalamnga travelling with explosives.

“Police traced his white BMW to Makro,” Miller said.

“Police identified and approached the man and upon searching his vehicle found approximately 10 sticks of commercial explosives and detonators.”

The man is expected to appear in court soon on charges of unlawful possession of explosives, while police investigations are continuing.

This follows a string of similar incidents in which people were found with explosives in Gauteng over the last month.

In October, Gauteng police arrested three suspects who were found in possession of two mortar explosive bombs and a chemical substance in the Johannesburg CBD.

Police allegedly received information of suspects travelling from Mozambique to South Africa who were in possession of explosives.

Earlier that month, police discovered close to 30 explosive devices near a shallow dam in Bultfontein, in the north of Pretoria.

The weapons – which included grenades and mortar bombs – were found after a tip-off from a local resident.

In the same month, two military projectiles and one mortar were found near a high school in Pretoria West.

Police were alerted after two men, spotted by the school’s security guard, fled the scene, leaving behind a bag of explosives.

– Caxton News Service