The Ladysmith Tactical Response Team (TRT) and Ladysmith Cluster Trio Crime Task Team have been clamping down on drugs and illegal firearms, making numerous arrests and recoveries during the course of last week.
2 men (both 32 years old) were arrested for possession of drugs in two different locations by Ladysmith TRT and Ladysmith Cluster Trio Crime Task Team officers.
In the first incident on May 13, the team swooped on a house in Burma Road, where they found a man to be in possession of eight mandrax tablets and 10 whoonga straws. The drugs are valued at around R1000.
In the second incident on May 14, a man was found in possession of a small amount of rock cocaine. He was stopped and searched in Forbes Street.
Both suspects appeared in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court yesterday (Monday, May 18). They face charges of possession of illegal drugs.
On Friday morning, the officers stopped a vehicle in Queen Street. A search turned up ammunition that had been hidden in the vehicle. A suspect was arrested and charged for being in possession of ammunition. He also appeared in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court yesterday (Monday).
That evening, the same group of officers followed up on information they had received about possible unlicensed firearms. The information led them to a tuck shop in Ezakheni C-3 section, where a 40-year-old man was arrested after being found in possession of a revolver and one round of ammunition. It is alleged that the man worked as a security guard at the premises.
Further investigations led them to another tuck shop in the same area, where a 29-year-old man, also alleged to be a security guard, was found in possession of an unlicensed pistol.
The pistol was loaded with three rounds of ammunition and had its serial number filed off. Both men face charges of being in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
They appeared in the Ezakheni Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The firearms will be sent to the Forensic Ballistic Unit, where they will be tested to ascertain if they were used in any crimes in the country.
