Durban — A teenager was among four suspects arrested for illegal firearm possession and ammunition in KwaZulu-Natal.
Police seized five firearms and ammunition during the arrest after a farm worker reported the matter.
ILembe District SAPS spokesperson Captain Alex Thomson explained that in a significant operation, Mandeni police officers responded quickly to information received at the station's community service centre, leading to the recovery of five home-made firearms and the arrest of four suspects.
Thomson said that on Friday, June 21, police officers were alerted to the presence of illegal firearms in the Bekamafa Farm area, within the Mandeni policing precinct.
“A farm worker reported four suspects, including a 16-year-old, in possession of four home-made firearms, each loaded with a live round of ammunition.
“Following an interview with the suspects, police members tracked down a homestead… where they recovered a fifth firearm. This firearm was loaded with a shotgun round, a 9mm round, a blank round, a 9mm slide, and one 9mm magazine,” Thomson continued.
“All five firearms were seized, and the four suspects were charged with being in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition.”
Thomson said the suspects will appear in the Nyoni Magistrate’s Court soon.
ILembe District police commissioner, Major-General Anthony Gopaul commended the police officers for their outstanding work in recovering the illegal firearms.
He said that the recovery of these firearms was a significant blow to criminal elements and demonstrated the commitment of SAPS in ILembe District to keeping communities safe.
“These firearms could have been used in illicit crimes within our district. We will continue to be relentless in our efforts to recover illegal firearms and ensure all steps are taken to remove them from our communities before they can be used to commit serious crimes,” Gopaul said.
In another unrelated incident, KZN police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said uThukela District police arrested four suspects aged between 28 and 29 years, for alleged unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
She said that on Sunday night, June 23, police conducted a multi-disciplinary operation at eNtshele where they arrested four wanted suspects who were allegedly found in possession of a rifle, two pistols, a revolver and ammunition.
Ngcobo said the suspects were charged for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
The recovered firearms would undergo ballistics testing to ascertain if they were used in the commission of any crime in the country, Ngcobo said.
She said police investigations were still ongoing.
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