Members of the EMPD Tracing Unit spotted three suspicious looking men in a red VW Polo at 5.30pm, at the intersection of Springs West Road and Tonk Meter Way.
Wilfred Kgasago, EMPD spokesman, says they stopped and searched the vehicle.
During the search they came across a 60kg cylinder containing Mercury, which Kgasago described as “a highly toxic and dangerous metal”.
Kgasago says transporting the highly toxic metallic in an unmarked vehicle without proof as to how they obtained the metal, prompted the metro police to arrest the three suspects and confiscate the cylinder.
“Preliminary investigations point to the sealed dangerous package, still with a serial number on it, having been obtained by illegal means from somewhere in Durban,” he says.
The three suspects, aged 22, 26 and 30 years, were detained at Springs Police Station on charges of possession of dangerous goods and suspected stolen goods.
They are expected to appear in the Springs Magistrate’s Court soon.
