Since the beginning of January 2022, the Tshwane Police and other law enforcement agencies recovered a total of seventy unlicensed firearms, over a hundred and fifty live rounds of ammunition and a total of 89 suspects arrested.
The majority of these firearms were confiscated during intelligence-driven operations, stop and search, tracing of wanted suspects, planned crime combat operations, and also pursuing the information obtained from the community.
It is evident that the availability of illegally circulating firearms in Tshwane and the country is directly connected to a series of violent crimes that include murder, armed robberies, hijackings, attempted murders, and street violent crimes.
During police preliminary investigations it was found that the vast majority of illegal firearms in circulation were originally licensed to civilians and private security companies. These ended up in the hands of the criminals through theft, housebreaking, and loss.
In one of the intelligent driven operations in Laudium, three men who allegedly demanded payment from various small business owners were arrested, five firearms and ammunition belonging to the suspects were also seized.
Brigadier Pietersen applauded the police and law enforcement agencies for stepping up enforcement efforts in removing illegal firearms from criminals.
“The reduction in the number of illegal firearms in our communities will have a positive impact on the number of serious and violent crimes that are reported”.
She further applauded the ordinary community that has contributed to the successes over the past month, by informing police of people who are in illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The confiscated firearms were sent for ballistic tests to ascertain if they were utilized in the commission of any crime.
Community members are encouraged to anonymously report illegal firearms by contacting Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
