KwaThema – Two men, including a metro police officer and his friend, were arrested in Everest Informal Settlement in Springs on Wednesday.
The men are aged 43 and 25, respectively,
The Cluster Vispol Trio Task Team received information of a person who was dealing in gold and in possession of an unlicensed firearm.
Springs police spokesperson Captain Johannes Ramphora says police acted on the information provided.
“On arrival, the police conducted a search and five pieces of gold, a cutting torch, gold refinery equipment, 12 SSG shotgun ammunition and money, which the suspect was unable to account for, were found and seized.
“Police further searched for the private firearm of the arrested metro police officer.
“Within walking distance, police arrived at the shack of a 25-year-old man, who is a friend of the arrested metro police officer.
“They found a Norinco 9mm pistol with eight rounds of ammunition hidden underneath a carpet.
“The suspect was arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm and unlicensed ammunition,” he says.
“Police circulated the firearm and it was discovered that it is a licensed firearm belonging to the arrested Ekurhuleni metro police officer.
“A further charge of negligent handling of a firearm was added to the charge of the arrested metro police officer,” says Ramphora.
The suspects will appear in the Springs Magistrate’s Court soon.
