Gauteng Police arrest suspects and recover firearms

Police spotted and intercepted the suspects' vehicle near the De Hoek Plaza toll gate and found three firearms in a box with a lot of ammunition in the vehicle.

Gauteng Police arrested three suspects and recovered three firearms and ammunition on Saturday afternoon near De Hoek Plaza on the N3, in Heidelberg.

The seizure followed a tip-off that firearms and ammunition were in transit from KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng and was conducted by a multi-disciplinary team from the Gauteng Operational Command Centre.

Police spotted and intercepted the suspects' vehicle near the De Hoek Plaza toll gate and found three firearms in a box with a lot of ammunition in the vehicle.

Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, welcomed the arrests and recovery of the firearms, describing the seizure as having spared many innocent lives.

"We call upon owners of illegal or unlicensed, and/or unwanted firearms and ammunition, to hand them in at designated police stations while the firearm amnesty period is still underway until the end of May this year," said the Provincial Commissioner.

The suspects were charged with possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and are expected to appear before the court in due course.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)