Six suspects, including a local shop owner, are set to appear in the Hankey Magistrate’s Court today on charges related to the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The arrests follow a police operation that led to the confiscation of three firearms and a quantity of ammunition.
The incident unfolded on Saturday, 31 May 2025, at approximately 18:00, when police officers on routine patrol noticed three men loitering outside a shop on Bafana Xhashimwe Street in Hankey. Two of the men were identified as wanted suspects in connection with a prior case of pointing a firearm and assault. Upon searching the group, officers discovered an unlicensed firearm and ammunition in the possession of the third man, leading to the immediate arrest of all three.
While transporting the suspects to the police station, officers observed suspicious behaviour from the shop owner and his two assistants. They returned to the premises and conducted further investigations, including reviewing the shop’s CCTV footage. The footage revealed that the initial suspects had thrown two firearms into the shop upon the police’s arrival. It also showed the shop owner and his assistants retrieving and hiding the weapons.
A subsequent search of the shop resulted in the recovery of two additional unlicensed firearms, prompting the arrest of the shop owner and his two assistants.
The six suspects, aged between 19 and 41, face multiple charges, including pointing of a firearm, assault, possession of unlicensed firearms, and possession of illegal ammunition. Authorities have indicated that additional charges may be added as the investigation progresses.
