Three male suspects arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunition

Media Statement
South African Police Service
Office of the Provincial Commissioner Mpumalanga
 

NELSPRUIT – Members of the Serious and Violent Crime Unit’s Tracking Team in Mpumalanga have arrested three male suspects, aged between 32 and 35 years old, for possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunition.

The suspects were arrested on Friday, 05 July 2024 at Kabokweni. During the arrests, the Police recovered high-calibre firearms, including pistols, rifles, and firearm silencers, as well as ammunition.

The operation was conducted in the early hours of the morning after the Police received information on the whereabouts of the suspects, who were allegedly involved in various crimes, including robberies committed recently in the province.

The trio were each nabbed from separate houses at Kabokweni in the early hours of the morning and it was during this period when two rifles and three pistols with dozens of ammunition were confiscated.

The firearms will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether they were not previously used in the commission of crime elsewhere and more charges could possibly be added against the suspects as the investigation continues.

The police are also investigating the suspects’ possible involvement in a recent farm attack that occurred on Thursday, 04 July 2024, in Kaapsehoop, where firearms and ammunition were stolen during a house robbery.

The suspects are expected to appear at the Kabokweni Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 08 July 2024, faced with charges of possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunition and other related charges.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, has welcomed the arrests, stating that the Police in the province are working hard to ensure that those who commit crimes are dealt with accordingly. “When it comes to fighting crime, we really mean business. With tthese type of successes, it shows that we are moving towards the direction where residents of Mpumalanga will enjoy to live in a safe environment,” said the General.
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