Busted! Tavern owner allegedly working with illegal miners in Ekurhuleni emerges from ceiling during cops raid

A tavern owner in Ekurhuleni was arrested after he emerged from a house ceiling and was allegedly found with unlicenced firearms and stolen uniform of a security company. Photo: EMPD

A tavern owner in Ekurhuleni was arrested after he emerged from a house ceiling and was allegedly found with unlicenced firearms and stolen uniform of a security company. Photo: EMPD

Published Jul 21, 2023

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The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) has arrested a 45-year-old tavern owner for being in possession of a stolen security uniform, a two-way hand radio, unlicensed firearms, and ammunition.

Police raided the man’s house after being tipped-off that the tavern owner was working illegal miners.

“The information was followed up and officers were led to a residence on Polong Street in Daveyton. When the officers approached the gate, they saw movements by the window, and were approached by a pregnant female who welcomed them and allowed them to search the premises,” EMPD spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa narrated.

“As the officers were at the door, they heard unusual movements in the ceiling and requested to see what was happening in the ceiling. Suddenly, the 45-year-old male suspect came out from the ceiling and was asked to stand aside as the officers searched the premises.”

A tavern owner in Ekurhuleni was arrested after he emerged from a house ceiling and was allegedly found with unlicenced firearms and stolen uniform of a security company. Photo: EMPD

When the EMPD officers climbed into the ceiling, they found an unlicensed firearm, a 9mm pistol with its serial number still intact, a home-made firearm, a magazine of an R5 rifle, and 63 bullets.

A tavern owner in Ekurhuleni was arrested after he emerged from a house ceiling and was allegedly found with unlicenced firearms and stolen uniform of a security company. Photo: EMPD

As the officers continued to search the premises, a black refuse bag containing two sets of security uniforms and a two-way hand radio was found.

A tavern owner in Ekurhuleni was arrested after he emerged from a house ceiling and was allegedly found with unlicenced firearms and stolen uniform of a security company. Photo: EMPD

Police officers contacted the security company which owns the uniforms, and they were informed by the manager of the security company that the uniform was robbed from his security guards. In the incident, a firearm was also robbed from security guards who were working in Pomona, Kempton Park.

“When questioned, the suspect then told the officers that he was well-connected and would soon be out of jail,” said Thepa.

“The 45-year-old suspect was immediately arrested and detained at Daveyton police station. Charged with possession of a reported robbed security uniform, unlicensed firearms and ammunition, the suspect will soon appear in the Daveyton Magistrate’s Court.”

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