Arrests of teenagers in possession of guns and criminals linked to gangs, seizures of illegal firearms and ammunition and the interception of illicit drug consignments were among the successes claimed by Western Cape police in a series of targeted operations.
The actions, carried out over a week, led to the confiscations of 19 illegal firearms and 790 rounds of ammunition throughout the province with the focus on identified hotspots and crime generators. The seizures included rifles, pistols, gas guns and imitation firearms.
Spokesperson Brig Novela Potelwa said on Thursday evening members of the Anti Gang Unit chased and arrested a 40-year-old suspect from Bonteheuwel and seized an unlicensed rifle.
On Friday the Anti Gang Unit was deployed in Bishop Lavis where they confiscated two pistols and charged a 34-year-old suspect linked to local gangs with possession of prohibited firearms.
Cape Town K-9 unit members followed up information on Thursday in the Blackheath industrial area about a vehicle whose occupants were behaving suspiciously. Upon searching the vehicle at the corner of Range and Stellenbosch Arterial roads, they discovered a 9mm firearm in a black paper bag on the back seat and another 9mm pistol on one of the four occupants of the vehicle. All four suspects were immediately arrested.
Potelwa said Lockdown II forces deployed in Delft carried out stop-and-search operations in the area and seized 16 knives and dangerous weapons and also discovered a gas gun abandoned in Viscount Street at the Hague.
Two men aged 28 and 30 were arrested by police in Basboom Street in Delft South on Tuesday for possession of home-made zip guns.
A 17-year-old boy was arrested by the Atlantis Crime Prevention Unit for having a 9mm pistol in his possession. Other firearms were seized in operations in Nyanga, Gugulethu, Delft, Steenberg and Khayelitsha.
In weekend operations, members of George Public Order Police deployed to hotspots across Cape Town recovered a vehicle reportedly stolen in Indwe in the Eastern Cape in June and arrested the 33-year-old suspect in the car.
Another three suspects aged 20, 23 and 26 were arrested in Roodewal Flats in Worcester for possession of stolen car batteries. Three more suspects — aged 17, 23 and 24 , were arrested in Nyanga after being found to be travelling in a stolen car and in possession of housebreaking implements. They could be facing additional charges as the car is believed to be linked to recent house robberies in the area and investigations are continuing.
Potelwa said members of the Eden and Central Karoo rural flying squad also intercepted drug consignments worth over R2m in two major seizures during the week.
All the suspects will appear in various courts on Monday.
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