Confiscated firearms and ammunition recovered from the arrested suspects in Thulamahashe.
Image: SAPS
Mpumalanga police officers intercepted three suspicious vehicles on Mbumba Road, leading to a the arrest of seven armed suspects, believed to be planning robberies within the Mhala Policing Precinct.
The swift response by the Mhala Crime Prevention Unit led to the confiscation of two firearms with live ammunition.
Members of the Mhala Crime Prevention Unit received intelligence about a group of armed men traveling in three vehicles, allegedly preparing to commit crimes. Acting swiftly, officers devised a tactical plan to intercept the suspects before they could strike.
“Within a blink of an eye, members bravely vowed to face these suspects head-on,”said police spokesperson Colonel Jabu Ndubane.
“The astute members immediately assembled a team. They then strategised and coordinated their resources, which enabled them to swiftly respond accordingly.”
As the police set up along Mbumba Road, they spotted the three suspect vehicles. Upon attempting to stop them, one driver, in a car bearing Gauteng registration plates, made a sudden U-turn and sped away, evading arrest.
However, the remaining two vehicles were stopped, and officers conducted a thorough search, which led to the discovery of the firearms and ammunition.
Ndubane confirmed that the seven suspects were then charged accordingly for possession of unlicensed firearms with ammunition.
While investigations are still ongoing, police have not ruled out additional charges as they conduct ballistic testing to determine whether the confiscated firearms were previously used in crimes.
“As a norm in the police, the confiscated firearms will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether these weapons were not previously used in the commission of crime elsewhere,” Ndubane said.
“Hence, police cannot rule out at this stage the possibility of adding more charges against the suspects as the investigation continues.”
Police are also urging the public, particularly those who may have been victims of armed robberies while hitchhiking, to come forward with information.
Police believe that suspects driving either a blue VW Polo or a black VW Polo, both with Mpumalanga registration plates, may have been involved in recent robberies across Acornhoek, Calcutta, Bushbuckridge, Hazyview, and surrounding areas.
The arrested suspects appeared in Thulamashe Magistrate’s Court on February 5. The case has been postponed to February 12, for a formal bail application.
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