Johannesburg — The South African Police Services (SAPS) in Gauteng revealed it has made a big breakthrough in its crime-combatting efforts through October and November 2024.
In a statement, police revealed it had recovered more than 700 unlicensed firearms and nearly 4 00 rounds of ammunition between the dates of 1 October 2024 and 20 November 2024. Police attributed the success to the collaborative efforts of other law enforcement agencies including Business Against Crime South Africa through the Eyes and Ears(E2) initiative and Community Policing Forum.
“The successful recovery of these firearms is a result of proactive policing strategies that include high-density operations targeted at crime hotspots, strategic stop-and-search, vehicle checkpoints (VCP) and routine crime prevention patrols,” police spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, said.
Nevhuhulwi said police seized 778 unlicensed firearms, and 3 827 rounds of ammunition, with 929 suspects arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Fred Kekana, commended the efforts of all teams involved in the collaborative efforts.
“This breakthrough demonstrates our dedication to creating a safer Gauteng. We will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to prevent and combat crime”, Kekana said.
The recovered firearms will undergo ballistic testing to identify potential links to other serious crimes.
#sapsGP The #SAPS in Gauteng has made a breakthrough in combating crime, recovering 778 unlicensed firearms and 3827 rounds of ammunition between 01 October 2024 and 20 November 2024. 929 suspects were arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.… pic.twitter.com/L8P3OBTxhz
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) November 22, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
