Cape Town - Six men aged between 28 and 42 will appear in the Paarl Magistrates' Court on Monday on charges of possession of illegal firearms and ammunition, possession of prohibited firearms, and possession of presumed stolen property, Western Cape police said.
Officers of the Boland police K9 unit followed up on information received and arrested the six suspects at the Huguenot Tunnel - north of Cape Town between Paarl and Worcester - on Thursday, Captain FC van Wyk said.
"The members of the unit received information about a white Renault Sandero with registration number FS 66 TD GP which had been involved in a cash-in-transit robbery in Hermanus. The vehicle was on its way to the Huguenot Tunnel in the direction of Cape Town. The members went through the tunnel control from Cape Town’s side and saw the vehicle coming from the opposite direction.
"They made a U-turn and asked the tunnel controllers to keep the booms closed. Members pulled the vehicle over and instructed the occupants to get out of the vehicle. On searching the vehicle they seized four firearms - one 7.65 pistol, two black pistols, and one silver revolver, all with their [serial] numbers filed off - as well as 11 rounds of ammunition, five cellular telephones, and an undisclosed amount of cash. They arrested six suspects on the scene and detained them at Paarl SAPS [South African Police Service]."
July 22 - Six men aged between 28 and 42 will appear in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of possession of illegal firearms and ammunition, possession of prohibited firearms, and possession of presumed stolen property. Photo: SAPS
The vigilance of the members of the Boland K9 unit was highly commended and their actions in seizing and arresting the suspects prevented the commission of many possible future crimes, Van Wyk said.