I have issued an instruction that Crime Intelligence identify the top 15 syndicates in the country and work together with the detectives and the hawks to go after these syndicates operating in serious crime such as drugs, cash in transit, human trafficking, money laundering, arms and ammunition.
Furthermore, I instructed them to also pay close attention to the so called known criminals. All provinces have now drawn up a list of top 30 wanted suspects. The person we were pursuing today controls a huge syndicate and is also on our list of most wanted.
During an intelligence driven operation police uncovered arms cache at this house here in Norwood, Johannesburg.
Members from Crime Intelligence, DPCI, Hillbrow police station, Head Office Narcotics were following up on information about possible drugs at this house. However, when they arrived here they discovered explosives, arms and ammunition but no drugs.
The cache includes R1 rifles, R4 rifles, R5 rifles, AK-47 rifles and approximately 300 handguns. Police also found detonators, a machine used to manufacture ammunition, packaged dagga and explosives used for ATM bombings. I cannot say at this stage exactly how many guns are here. What I can say is that they are in the hundreds and they found concealed in containers. We are going to analyse this in detail to establish the origin of these arms and ammunition and more importantly, what they were intended for and whether any of them have been used in the commission of an offence.
We have arrested 3 people, the owner, his daughter and the domestic helper aged between 26 and 53 years.
Today's success is yet another example what integrated and focusing policing can achieve. I want to congratulate General Mothiba and his team, the detectives, crime intelligence and hawks officials that worked very hard following up on the information received. I'm very pleased with the result and I want to encourage them to continue with the hard work.
Media enquiries:
Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale
Tel: 012 393 2630
Fax: 012 393 1033
Cell: 082 778 2630
E-mail: makgalesolomon@saps.gov.za
