A multifaceted operation by various units from the South African Police Service at Umbumbulu resulted in the arrest of two suspects aged between 28 and 52 and the recovery of six (6) unlicensed firearms and various assorted rounds of ammunition.
The operation follows sterling investigative work conducted by the Ethekwini Outer South Crime Intelligence members who had gathered information on suspects who were suspected to be linked with the taxi killings in the area. Indications from the information gathered, pointed out to a possibility of the sought suspects being used as hitmen in the taxi feud.
In the early hours of 15 June 2017 members from the Ethekwini Outer South Crime Intelligence, the Special Task Force, K9 Unit and the Provincial Tracking Team pounced at homestead at Odidini in a well-coordinated operation. The members received a hostile reception upon announcing their arrival, a shot was fired from inside one of the houses which narrowly missed a Special Task Force member who was close to the door. The members gained entry into the house and a 28-year-old suspect was found in possession of the Shotgun and when he was searched a .38 revolver with 25 rounds of ammunition were also found in his possession.
In the second house the members arrested a 52-year-old suspect who was in possession of four firearms including 1x Shot Gun, 1x R1 Rifle with two (2) live rounds, 1x R4 Rifle with sixty eight (68) rounds of ammunition and a 9mm Pistol with fourteen (14) live rounds. The members searched the house and further recovered seven (7) x AK47 rounds of ammunition, two (2) x R5 magazines and, twenty five (25) x .38 revolver rounds of ammunition, twenty eight (28) x shot gun rounds.
Both the suspects were arrested and the 52-year-old man were charged for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition and the 28-year-old suspect was charged for attempted murder and possession of unlawful firearms and ammunition. They will both appear at the Umbumbulu Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 19 June 2017.
KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Bheki Langa praised the members for the arrest and the recovery of firearms. “These operations within our province will remain in high persistence to eliminate the spread of illegal and unlicensed firearms that contribute to unnecessary deaths,” he said
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