Kriel Police arrested five men and recovered three unlicensed firearms on Tuesday evening, March 29.
The suspects were nabbed at Kriel at about 23:30 after Leandra Police informed them to look out for a suspicious white Toyota bakkie without registration number plates.
The Kriel cops spotted and then pulled over the bakkie with five occupants on the R580.
A search was conducted during which three pistols were discovered and seized, along with other items such as a bolt cutter and cable wire.
According to Brig Selvy Mohlala, provincial police spokesman, the suspects resisted by fighting back when the police members tried to arrest them.
“The five suspects were finally arrested and charged accordingly.
“The firearms will be taken for ballistic testing as part of the investigation to determine whether they had been used in the commission of crime elsewhere. The police cannot rule out the possibility of linking the suspects to other crimes committed elsewhere,” said Brig Mohlala.
The bakkie was also confiscated for further investigation.
The suspects, aged between 21 and 37, are due to appear in the Kriel Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, March 31 facing charges of being in possession of unlicensed firearms, possession of suspected housebreaking implements and resisting arrest.
The provincial commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lieut-Gen Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, thanked the Kriel Police for their hard work.
She is delighted that during the arrest, firearms were confiscated.
“We are making a noticeable progress in the recovery of firearms and we shall keep on doing this for the safety of our communities,” assured the General.
Kriel Police found and confiscated these unlicensed guns in a bakkie without number plates on Tuesday evening, March 29. (Photo: Supplied)
