Four suspects aged between 23 and 36 were arrested and three firearms with ammunition were seized. Thanks to members of the police from Barberton who made the breakthrough in the early hours of Friday 2 December 2022.
The commendable success came after members from Detective Services and Visible Policing in Barberton received valuable information regarding a certain vehicle with suspects carrying firearms.
The details were operationalized and a vehicle, a white Toyota Corolla, with four occupants was spotted and stopped by the members at Badplaas crossing.
A search was then conducted resulting in the three firearms being found in the possession of the four suspects hence they were arrested and charged accordingly. Serial numbers on two of the firearms were filed off and one of the firearms with visible serial numbers was reportedly stolen at Emzinoni in February 2021.
The suspects are facing charges of unlawful possession of firearms with ammunition.
The suspects are expected to appear at the Barberton District Court on Monday, 5 December 2022 facing the said charges. Meanwhile the three firearms will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether they were not used in other crimes committed elsewhere.
Police at this stage cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against the suspects as the investigation continues.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has welcomed the arrest of the suspects as well as the recovery of the firearms and ammunition.
