Hawks seize imported US firearms in Bloemfontein

File picture: Pexels

File picture: Pexels

Published Jun 12, 2020

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Cape Town - The Hawks seized an illegal consignment of firearms in Bloemfontein on Wednesday. 

This came after the Hawks’ National Priority Violent Crime unit received a tip-off about a package destined for South Africa from the United States via a freight shipping service. 

Warrant Officer Lynda Steyn of the Hawks said: “Preliminary investigations revealed that the parcel was falsely declared as workshop parts as recorded in the waybill number. Based on the gathered information, a search warrant was then obtained and the shipment was tracked."

The multidisciplinary investigative team included a technical response team and local criminal record centre, which were activated to monitor the delivery of the package to an address in Innes Avenue in Waverley, Bloemfontein. 

Statements have been collected and interviews conducted with three of the alleged recipients of the package. 

Officials from the Hawks also confiscated other electronics and these are being held pending further investigations. 

The investigation is ongoing and no arrests has been made. 

In a separate case, the Hawks secured the conviction of two police officers for corruption on Wednesday. The constables were found guilty of facilitating the smuggling of stolen vehicles from South Africa into Botswana from their station at the Grobler's Bridge point of entry in  Limpopo province in exchange for money.

The Hawks are responsible for investigating and combating serious organised crime, serious commercial crime and serious corruption in South Africa. 

African News Agency/ANA

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