Successful blitz on illegal firearms Weenen

Police scored a triple victory in the war against illegal firearms in the province.

Two men aged 41 and 55, were arrested during the course of the weekend after police recovered several firearms and ammunition, some unlicensed, in their possession.

ALSO READ: Guns and ammunition seized

Officers from the Uthukela Cluster Task Team began their Friday early when a man was arrested in the Emanseleni area of Sahlumbe near Weenen.

“He was found to be in possession of an unlicensed .38 revolver as well as a 6.35 pistol. The revolver had four rounds of ammunition in it and the pistol had one round of ammunition in its chamber,” said police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane.

A second arrest followed when a 55-year-old suspect was arrested by officers from the Pietermaritzburg Public order Policing Unit and the Ladysmith Tactical Response Unit.

READ MORE: An array of firearms seized

The officers had sourced valuable information and pounced on the suspect’s home where they found him to be in possession of an unlicensed R 5 rifle with its serial number filed off.

“The team confiscated a CZ75 pistol with 17 rounds of ammunition and a shotgun with 10 rounds of ammunition. The firearms were found in a cupboard instead of being in a prescribed gun safe. The police officers were ambushed when they were leaving the premises. Fortunately none of them sustained any injuries during the ambush,” explained Lt Col Zwane.

A third recovery came when a 12 gauge double barrel shot gun without a serial number was found abandoned.

The arrested men have been charged with being in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and appeared in the Weenen Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Click to receive news links via WhatsApp. Or for the latest news, visit our webpage or follow us on Facebook and Twitter