Police recover dangerous weapons and illegal ammunition

Police have arrested two suspects and recovered a raft of illegal firearms and ammunition in Ntambanana near Empangeni in Northern KwaZulu-Natal.

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) SAPS spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said the two suspects who are aged between 44 and 63, who were arrested separately in an intelligent driven operation, are expected to appear in the Ngwelezane Magistrate’s Court on Friday. 

The two suspects are facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition as well as a charge of being in possession of dangerous weapons.

Mbele said the policer had swooped on the suspects this week.

“An intelligence driven operation conducted in the early hours of this morning by the King Cetshwayo District Task Team, together with Empangeni Crime intelligence and the District Task Team produced positive results when they arrested two suspects at Ntambanana,” Mbele said.

“The police officers proceeded to Mambuka area where they arrested a 63-year-old man at his homestead for being in possession of a R1 rifle, a shotgun and 99 rounds of ammunition. He was charged for being in illegal possession of firearms and ammunition,” she said.

Mbele said the team of police officers was on its way back to the Ntambanana police station when officers came across a suspicious vehicle and requested to search it. 

“Upon searching the vehicle they recovered a 303 rifle with a silencer, four rounds of ammunition, two knives, a hand saw and an axe. The suspect was charged for being illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition as well as dangerous weapons,” Mbele said.

Meanwhile in a separate arrest in KZN on Wednesday police swooped on suspects and recovered a stash of alcohol following the burglary of a liquor store and a business premises in Nottingham Road.

The suspects aged between 25 and 30 are expected to appear in the Highflats Magistrate’s Court on 28 October 2021 to face two charges of burglary.