Police in Gauteng are continuing to deal decisively with the proliferation of illegal firearms in circulation as 16 more firearms, 10 magazines and 153 ammunition were recovered over the past weekend. Some of these firearms recovered during intelligence-driven operations are believed to have been stolen during house robberies while others were used in the commission of serious and violent crimes.
During these operations in the early hours of the Saturday morning, more than 21 suspects were arrested in the West Rand, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane Districts for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The other suspects were nabbed on Sunday during crime prevention operations in Sedibeng.
The firearms seized will be sent for ballistic testing to establish whether or not they may have been used during the commission of other crimes.
Management of the SAPS in Gauteng would like to thank the members of the community who continue to work closely with the police to expose criminals, particularly those who possess illegal firearms. The continued recovery of firearms will take law enforcement in the Province a long way as efforts are intensified in addressing the high volumes of armed robberies, murders and other serious and violent crimes.
Owners of illegal and/or unwanted firearms and ammunition or parts thereof, are reminded to take advantage of the firearm amnesty period that ends on 31 January 2021.
