Cape Town - Western Cape police have refused to be drawn on whether there were links between recent arms cache discoveries and the arrest of a local businessman allegedly connected to a former Gauteng police officer.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said they were investigating after 250 firearms were discovered in a bunker in a Valhalla Park house on Friday. Four people were arrested. This follows the discovery of an arms cache in a Kleinvlei cemetery in August.
In July, police arrested Rondebosch businessman Irshaad Laher, who allegedly smuggled police-confiscated firearms to local gangs. Laher was arrested after former police colonel Chris Prinsloo entered into a plea bargain. Prinsloo allegedly sold at least 2 000 guns to Laher. In return for co-operating with the state, Prinsloo was jailed for 18 years.
Weekend Argus questioned the national and provincial police on whether there were links between the arms-related busts.
While Van Wyk replied, “Everything is under investigation. We are not going to speculate”, Brigadier Sally de Beer, spokeswoman for the national police, said they hoped Friday’s arrest would “assist us in clamping down on the scourge of gangsterism”.
Laher is scheduled to return to the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. He is out on R100 000 bail and faces charges of fraud, corruption, racketeering and theft of firearms and ammunition.
Laher’s assets, worth R9-million, have also been frozen. This includes his Rondebosch home worth about R3m.
Weekend Argus