A 28-year-old foreign national was arrested in Musina after police recovered an unlicensed firearm and ammunition from his vehicle during an intelligence-driven operation. The arrest was one of two made in separate intelligence-led operations conducted by Limpopo police on Wednesday, 8 July, in the Vhembe and Waterberg districts.
According to police, members of Musina SAPS, the Musina Task Team, Musina Crime Prevention and the Beitbridge Task Team acted on information about a suspect allegedly in possession of an unlicensed firearm.
Officers searched a green Toyota Camry parked on Elias Ramabulana Street near a spaza shop in Mushongoville, where they allegedly found a black Pistolet Automatique MAB pistol, a magazine and two live rounds of ammunition.
The suspect was arrested for the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. Police also seized the firearm and the vehicle, with the combined estimated value of the seized items put at R165,000.
In a separate operation in Mookgopong, members of the Waterberg Flying Squad arrested a 37-year-old man after allegedly finding him in possession of three laptops suspected to be stolen. Police said the suspect failed to provide a satisfactory explanation or proof of ownership, leading to his arrest. The laptops were seized for further investigation.
Acting Limpopo provincial police commissioner Major-General Jan Scheepers commended the officers involved in both operations, saying the arrests reflected SAPS' continued commitment to removing illegal firearms from communities and recovering suspected stolen property.
The Musina suspect is expected to appear in the Musina Magistrate's Court, while the Mookgopong suspect is expected to appear in the Mookgopong Magistrate's Court on Friday. Police investigations into both cases are continuing.