An investigation into drug-dealing leads to the discovery of nine firearms including rifles, ammunition, and explosives in Winchester Hills south of Johannesburg.
Gauteng Commissioner of police, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has commended the tireless efforts of the Crime Intelligence units in the Province that have recently, consistently led to significant breakthroughs in the strife to reduce the volumes of crime in Gauteng.
In the latest intelligence-driven operation, members of the Johannesburg Central Crime Intelligence were on Monday morning 8 February 2021, following up on information of drug dealing at a residential complex in Winchester Hills in the Booysens policing precinct.
The team spotted the two vehicles of interest pull up next to each other in the parking lot at the complex and executed a take-down, arresting one suspect after witnessing a transfer of unknown parcels from one vehicle to the other. The second suspect fled and evaded arrest.
An on-site investigation led police to a flat where they searched and recovered rifles. Bullet-proof vests, security dashboard lights, ammunition, teargas and smoke canisters, a practice hand grenade, form part of the items seized for further investigation.
All relevant crime scene management roleplayers were summoned to the scene and the multidisciplinary team after processing the scene confirmed that the parcels that were moved between the suspects’ vehicles contained: an undisclosed amount of cash suspected to be the proceeds of drug sales; as well as five bags whose contents will be determined pending forensic analysis.
Further investigations are underway and will be led by the Directorate Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).
The 30-year-old suspect from Sunnyside will appear in court in due course.
