In a significant stride towards curbing the proliferation of illegal firearms, law enforcement achieved a notable breakthrough on January 10, 2024, in Tsakane. The collaborative efforts of the Provincial Task Team, Flying Squad, Sedibeng K9, Katlehong Task Team, and JMPD yielded the arrest of a 21-year-old man and the recovery of four unlicensed firearms with ammunition.
Acting on intelligence indicating a person in possession of illicit firearms at Khuthuza hostel in Thokoza, the law enforcement team swiftly executed a tactical operation. A targeted search of the identified room uncovered three concealed firearms—a shotgun, an AK-47, and a Uzi machine gun—all carefully hidden in a bag beneath the bed.
The suspect was promptly apprehended during the operation. Additionally, another firearm, reportedly belonging to the same individual, was seized at Bayafuthi hostel in Katlehong.
All four firearms, lacking proper licensing, will undergo ballistic testing to ascertain if they have been used in the commission of other crimes. Simultaneously, the arrested suspect will be profiled for potential connections to additional cases.
The 21-year-old individual is slated to appear before the Tsakane Magistrates’ Court in the near future, facing charges related to the possession of unlicensed firearms. This swift and effective response underscores law enforcement’s commitment to addressing the pressing issue of illegal firearm proliferation within the community.
