Police confiscated five guns in Port Elizabeth on Saturday and arrested two men on their way to a funeral who were found to be in possession of illegal firearms.
Police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu said a white Jeep that was part of a funeral convoy on Stanford Road was pulled over at about 1pm.
“Seven occupants were in the vehicle and they were searched. One was found with a 9mm pistol with the serial number filed off and the second person with a 7.65 pistol.”
She said the 7.65 pistol had been reported stolen in Walmer in January 2019.
“The males, aged 24, were detained on a charge of possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition as well as possession of suspected stolen property,” Naidu said.
The stolen property consisted of a CCTV camera and diving equipment. The vehicle was impounded for further investigations.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
In an unrelated incident, at about 1am on Saturday, a revolver was found inside a house in New Brighton while the police’s anti-gang unit, public order policing and metro police searched a property.
A 35-year-old man was arrested and detained on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Then, PE Flying Squad officers arrested a 27-year-old man for being in possession of a stolen firearm in Kwazakhele at 7.45am on Saturday.
The officers received information of a possibly armed man driving a white Nissan Micra. The vehicle was pulled over on the corners of Daku and Koyana roads.
“A suspect was found in possession of a revolver. The firearm was reported stolen in February 2019,” Naidu said.
The man will appear in the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
A .45 revolver was recovered on Saturday at 11.30pm while the police’s anti-gang unit, public order policing and metro police were conducting search operations in Arcadia.
“The firearm was found lying in a yard in Harrington Street. The firearm was reported stolen in Wolwefontein in August 2018,” Naidu said.
An inquiry docket was opened for further investigation.