During operations conducted across Gauteng over the weekend of 4 and 5 May 2019, police arrested more than nine hundred suspects and seized twenty two unlicensed firearms and ammunition believed to have been used in the commission of serious and violent crimes. Suspects were arrested for crimes ranging from murder, armed robbery, car hijacking, business robbery and house robbery.
These recoveries and arrests underpin the police’s quest to seize firearms that are in the hands of the criminals and apprehend suspects. The majority of these suspects are repeat offenders and have been on the police’s wanted list of suspects who are on the run after committing crimes.
In Cleveland, Johannesburg, police intercepted an armed gang believed to be on their way to commit a robbery. Police were patrolling when they noticed a car with five men that looked suspicious. The suspicious car was stopped, upon searching the suspects and the car police found five pistols and arrested all the occupants for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
Still in Johannesburg, police arrested more than two hundred suspects for crimes ranging from rape, fraud, murder, armed robbery and house robbery.
More than four hundred and twenty suspects were arrested in Tshwane and Ekurhuleni following the crime intelligence operations that included roadblocks, tracing of wanted suspects and raiding of illegal liquor outlets. Similar operations were conducted in Soweto and West Rand wherein more than three hundred and ten suspects were arrested. The offences committed in these areas include assault, possession of drugs, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
All seized firearms will be subjected to ballistic testing to establish if they were used in the commission of other crimes within country; while suspects will appear at various Magistrate’s Courts in due course.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
