Five men are due to appear in court on Monday after Eastern Cape police confiscated several suspected illegal firearms.
Police nabbed the suspects, aged between 41 and 49, during separate operations in Tsolo and Mtontsasa near Lusikisiki on Thursday and Friday.
Police in the OR Tambo district have stepped up their fight against the proliferation of unlicensed and prohibited firearms.
“In the first incident, members of the tactical response team (TRT) operating in OR Tambo arrested three male suspects, aged between 41 and 49, at Ncetshane locality, Zibungu administrative area, Tsolo,” police spokesperson Capt Welile Matyolo said.
“The arrests took place on Thursday between 10am and 9pm following information received by police.
“Each suspect was found at their respective homesteads in possession of a Z88 pistol and ammunition.
“Only one pistol had an intact serial number, and none of the suspects could provide legal proof of ownership.”
In an unrelated incident, SAPS members, working with Flagstaff police, arrested two suspects, aged 56 and 40, at the Buthulo locality, Upper Hlabathi administrative area, Mtontsasa.
“The 56-year-old was found in possession of three shotguns and two 9mm pistols with intact serial numbers, while the 40-year-old was found with a prohibited shotgun and ammunition,” Matyolo said.
All suspects are expected to appear in their respective magistrate’s courts on Monday.
They are facing charges ranging from unlawful possession of unlicensed or prohibited firearms to unlawful possession of ammunition.
OR Tambo district commissioner Maj-Gen Noman Modishana lauded the members involved in the operations.
“Unlicensed or prohibited firearms inflict a lot of pain and trauma in our communities, and police are obliged to eradicate them and arrest all perpetrators,” he said.
Daily Dispatch
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