A 26-year-old suspect is expected to appear in court soon after he was found in possession of eight firearms, five stun grenades, and items suspected to have been stolen from brutally killed police officers.
The spokesperson of the police in KwaZulu-Natal, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said the suspect, who was arrested on Tuesday afternoon in Phoenix at Westham, was also found with several rounds of ammunition of various calibre of firearms, including armour-piercing ammunition, as well as drug manufacturing machine, and different types of drugs.
He said the police officers who are members of the Provincial Organised Crime and Provincial Drugs and Firearms Unit, received information about a man who was suspected of having firearms in each of his vehicles.
“An operation was planned and upon the execution of the operation, the suspect was arrested as he attempted to flee his residence. He was found in possession of a firearm and drugs. A subsequent search led to the recovery of two shotguns inside his apartment.
“The remaining five firearms were located in each of his five vehicles. Attempts were still under way to break open his luxurious fully armoured SUV vehicle for a further search,” he said.
Netshiunda said one of the pistols found belonged to the police.
“There were also police-issued rounds of ammunition of an R5 rifle, shotgun ammunition and it is also suspected that the recovered stun grenades belong to the police service,” he explained.
Moreover, Netshiunda said investigations have begun to uncover whether the suspect was in collusion with police officers or the firearm, ammunition, and other recovered items were stolen from brutally killed police officers.
The suspect is believed to be involved in the drug turf war drive-by shootings and other drug-related criminal activities.