LIMPOPO – Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo says the fight against Trio Crimes (house robbery, car hijacking and business robbery) was given more impetus when four suspects were apprehended in two policing clusters in the province, for possession of illegal firearms.
You might also want to read: Brother and sister arrested for illegal possession of firearms in Makhado
In Tzaneen, police arrested two suspects (both 29-years-old) and confiscated two firearms and four rounds of ammunition.
“A tactical intelligence driven operation was conducted on Tuesday night, at Tikiline in Maake, following information received from the community. The operation comprised of members of Tzaneen crime intelligence, detectives and the cluster task team,” Mojapelo explained.
The serial numbers on both firearms were filed off and the duo will be charged with possession of illegal firearms and ammunition.
Photo: Lim SAPS
In Modimolle, two suspects were arrested for possession of an illegal firearm during an intelligence driven operation, comprising members from Modimolle task team, crime intelligence, the K9 unit and detectives.
“The operation was conducted on Tuesday night until the early hours of Wednesday morning, 7 February. The firearm that was recovered was reported stolen in December 2017 during a burglary residence in Naboomspruit,” Mojapelo said.
The suspects have already been positively linked to a business robbery in Naboomspruit in which five suspects robbed a local tuck shop owner at gun point.
The outstanding three suspects are known to the police and will be arrested in due course.
The firearms that were seized in both operations were:
• A 9mm Browning pistol with three rounds ammunition
• A 9mm Star pistol with one round of ammunition
• A 9mm Norinco pistol with three rounds ammunition
Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has hailed these successes, especially the linkages that followed the arrests in Modimolle. He concluded by urging all members to continue removing illegal firearms from the hands of criminals.
The suspects will soon appear in Lenyenye and Naboomspruit Magistrates Courts, respectively.
