A coordinated operation between provincial police forces has led to the arrest of four men and the seizure of two illegal firearms and a significant quantity of ammunition.
The successful bust, which occurred on Saturday night, 29 November 2025, was initiated by information from the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence unit in the Western Cape. The intelligence indicated that a white Volkswagen Polo with four male occupants, traveling from Vredenburg to the Eastern Cape, was believed to be in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
Upon receiving the information, members of the Sarah Baartman District Task Team swiftly operationalized the plan. At approximately 20:35, a vehicle matching the description was located in Graaff-Reinet. Police managed to intercept and stop the car on Parsonage Street.
A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded immediate results. Inside the cubbyhole compartment (glove box), officers discovered a plastic container holding seventeen (17) live rounds of ammunition.
The search continued, leading to a more significant find. Two unlicensed 9mm pistols, along with additional ammunition, were found stashed inside the pockets of a navy jacket that was hanging on the driver’s headrest. In total, police recovered the two firearms, the ammunition in their magazines, and a separate plastic bag containing forty-seven (47) rounds of ammunition from inside the jacket.
The four occupants of the vehicle were immediately placed under arrest. They face two counts each of possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition. The white VW Polo was also confiscated for further investigation.
The suspects, aged between 32 and 35, are currently being processed and profiled by detectives. Preliminary investigations suggest a possible linkage to at least one serious crime previously committed in the Western Cape. The four men are scheduled to appear before the Graaff-Reinet Magistrate’s Court in the coming days.
