Police intercept man with 'assault rifle' en route to Gauteng

Police acting on intelligence have intercepted a man with an “assault rifle” wrapped in a blanket en route from KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng.

The 26-year-old was arrested for being in possession of an unlicensed firearm on Saturday.

“Police reportedly obtained information of a suspect making his way to Gauteng from KwaZulu-Natal,” said police spokesperson Capt Amanda van Wyk.

“A team comprising of members from crime intelligence and Sedibeng K9 unit operationalised the information and intercepted a vehicle with three occupants on the Standerton Road towards Heidelberg.

“A search led the team to recover an unlicensed firearm and the suspect was subsequently arrested.”

The driver of the vehicle, and a second passenger, were not arrested.

The seized weapon will be subjected to ballistic tests to determine whether it can be linked to any serious crimes.

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.