Several firearms and hundreds of ammunition were hauled in as police intensified their efforts to recover illegal weapons used in the commission of serious and violent crimes in the province.
Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said more than 10 illegal firearms and more than 200 ammunition, of different calibres were recovered between Thursday and Friday.
“This includes three unlicensed firearms that were recovered during a raid and arrest of four suspects who were wanted for serious and violent crime by the Tshwane TRT [tactical response team], Ekurhuleni TRT and Gauteng traffic police as they followed up on information on Thursday in Atteridgeville,” he said.
Makhubele said two unlicensed firearms were recovered in a taxi and three suspects arrested during a stop-and-search operation conducted by the SAPS’s crime prevention unit from Boksburg on the same evening.
“Meanwhile, Ekurhuleni police followed up on information of a man driving a Toyota Corolla and in possession of unlicensed firearms,” he said.
The man was reportedly observed as he entered into the vehicle and was intercepted by police who found him in possession of two unlicensed firearms and a toy gun.
“Further investigation positively linked the Toyota Corolla driven by the suspect to a motor theft case at Tembisa police station,” Makhubele said.
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Two more unlicensed firearms were also recovered during the arrest of three suspects in the Johannesburg area.
“In addition, one shotgun was recovered in Diepkloof Zone 4 in Soweto, by metro police officials and three suspects were arrested for truck hijacking on the N3 highway,” he said, adding that the trio were reportedly found offloading the truck in Langlaagte.
During an operation “O Kae Molao” led by deputy provincial police commissioner Major-General Timmy Mthombeni and West Rand district commissioner Major-General Fred Kekana and other senior members of the SAPS and other law-enforcement agencies, at least 35 people were arrested for serious and violent crimes in the area and five liquor outlets closed down in the Bekkersdal area.
“At the roadblocks, more than 40 illegal immigrants were apprehended for the contravention of the illegal immigrants act,” Makhubele said, adding that more than 946 people were arrested in other four districts in the province for various crimes including the closure of liquor outlets and other serious and violent crimes.
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