Ndudi Anyim
Operatives of the Gauteng Police has in an efforts to recover weapons used in the commission of serious and violent crimes, seized 448 unlicensed and illegal firearms in one week.
Security Watch Africa reports that the operatives also made seizures of 3320 ammunition of different calibre within March 1 and March 7.
Giving details of the seizures recently, the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela said some of the weapons were also recovered during robberies.
He said: “ Ten unlicensed firearms were recovered during a foiled robbery in Johannesburg, Kelvin, where 19 suspects were arrested. In another incident, members from Sandton Crime Prevention Unit recovered two unlicensed firearms, a hijacked vehicle and arrested two suspects during a routine patrol.”
It was gathered that in a joint operation in Loate, led by Mawela and the District Commissioner of Tshwane, Major General Hilda Mohajane, joined by the MEC for Community Safety, Ms Faith Mazibuko, Provincial Management and senior officers from both the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies, 100 suspects were arrested.
“ During the operation Police closed over 10 liquor outlets in Loate and over 100 suspects were arrested by the detectives for various serious and violent crimes in the area.
At the roadblocks, six motor vehicles were recovered with case numbers from various stations in Tshwane District.
“ More than twelve suspects were arrested for drunk and driving, and 20 illegal immigrants taken in. A total of 967 suspects were arrested in the other four Districts in Gauteng for various crimes, including contravening the Disaster Management Act,” he stated.
Mawela further commended the law enforcement agencies whose commitment is sustained towards ensuring that the residents of Gauteng are safe.