Cape Town – Two of the four suspects arrested in a stop-and-search operation in Cape Town have ties to the South African Police Service.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the SAPS Provincial Integrated Team led a stop-and-search operation in Harare, Khayelitsha, which found a large consignment of ammunition, six unlicensed firearms and a police uniform on Wednesday.
“Members of the team searched a vehicle with two occupants earlier in the evening and found an unlicensed firearm. Two suspects were arrested.
“Further investigations led the police contingent to the suspects’ house in Kuyasa, where an additional five unlicensed firearms, ammunition and other items, including a police uniform, were discovered. Two more suspects were arrested,” she said.
Potelwa said the seizure consisted of four pistols, a hunting rifle, a shotgun, two imitation firearms and an assortment of rounds of ammunition.
The police items seized included projectiles, a police uniform, pistol primers, a firearm reloading machine and cartridges. She confirmed two of the suspects were linked to the SAPS.
“In total, four suspects, including a former policeman and an SAPS administrative clerk, were arrested.
’’The suspects, aged between 23 and 26, will be appearing in court on Friday on charges of the illegal possession of firearms and the illegal possession of ammunition,” Potelwa said.
She said as the investigation progresses more charges against the suspects could be added.
The provincial SAPS management has commended the officers for their unrelenting efforts in ensuring illegal firearms and ammunition are removed from the streets.
In an unrelated incident, officers attached to the police integrated team arrested a 33-year-old man on Monday after he was found in possession of an illegal firearm in Site C in Khayelitsha.
African News Agency (ANA)