Cops confiscate illegal guns and arrest five suspects

Mount Road police confiscated five firearms and arrested five people on gun-related charges at the weekend, cluster commander Major-General Thembisile Patekile said yesterday.

He said four firearms were recovered in Helenvale and Gelvandale, where three people were arrested. The fourth person was arrested with an illegal firearm in Kabega Park. Patekile said another person was arrested in Walmer Township on Friday evening for the illegal possession of ammunition.

Describing the arrests in the Helenvale and Gelvandale areas, Patekile said that at about 11am on Saturday, Gelvandale police were responding to a shooting incident in Helenvale when they saw two men running. Both were arrested and two revolvers were recovered. At 1.15pm, members of the Flying Squad responding to a complaint, found a 9mm pistol that was dropped by suspected gangsters running away from the police. “The community started hurling stones at police and the group. A 24-year-old gang affiliate was arrested with a 9mm firearm and ammunition. “He was detained on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition,” Patekile said.