TWO men were arrested in the Shongweni area in possession of illegal firearms.
The two men, aged 22 and 35, were arrested on Wednesday morning by Umhlali K9 and Metro police.
This was a joint operation in search of illegal firearms in the Shongweni area and its surroundings, aimed at making the area a crime-free zone.
KZN spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane, said police seized three firearms as well as 25 live rounds of ammunition.
“Police pounced on a 22-year-old man in the Sankontshe area and conducted a search.
“He was found with two unlicensed firearms with serial numbers filed off. A 9mm pistol and a .38 revolver with 15 live rounds of ammunition were found in his possession,” said Zwane.
The man was then arrested and taken to Mpumalanga police station for detention and charged for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
“During the search police also found a charge sheet in his possession. He was charged for a house robbery that occurred on a farm in Cato Ridge in February 2014.
“Charges against him were withdrawn in the Camperdown Magistrate’s Court,” added Zwane.
Police proceeded to Shongweni Dam, where a 35-year-old male was arrested after he was found with a shotgun and 10 live rounds of ammunition.
Zwane said the man failed to produce the gun licence when instructed to do so. He was then taken to the KwaNdengezi police station for detention.
“He will be charged for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and will appear at the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, 22 January.
“All seized firearms will be sent to ballistics to ascertain if they have been used in the commission of any other crimes in the country,” he said.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, praised the police for the arrests and seizure of firearms.
“We hope that the confiscation of these guns will assist us to solve murder cases that we are investigating,” she said.
