PRETORIA – Three foreign nationals, one woman and two men, have been arrested by the South African Police Service (SAPS) at Beitbridge border post for allegedly being in possession of commercial explosives.
Limpopo provincial spokesperson for the SAPS, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the trio was arrested on Wednesday, after midnight, as they crossed into South Africa from Zimbabwe.
“The police were called by members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) after they came across the three suspects near the SANDF support base, crossing the borderline from Zimbabwe to South Africa carrying a backpack and two luggage bags,” said Mojapelo.
“The suspects, aged between 31 and 33, were arrested and taken to Musina police station where their luggages were searched and commercial explosives discovered.”
Members of the Musina explosives unit were summoned and subsequently identified the explosives as follows:
- Six reels of detonating cord, orange in colour without any branding.
- Fifty units of connector capped fuses, green in colour branded Famesa Carmex.
- Sixty-five units of blasting cartridges branded Superpower 90 emulsion explosives, Solar Explochem Zambia Limited.
Meanwhile, SAPS provincial commissioner in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has hailed the “splendid work” that was executed by the police in collaboration with members of the SANDF.
“Explosives of this nature were in the past found to have been used in ATM bombings at some places in the province and the arrest of these suspects will potentially assist the police in curbing this crime,” Hadebe said.
The three suspects are expected to appear before the Musina Magistrate’s Court facing charges of unlawful possession and smuggling of explosives.
IOL