According to police spokesperson, Colonel Athlenda Mathe the arrests were made by a team of specialised units from the national intervention unit, tactical response teams, public order police, crime intelligence and detectives, bomb disposal specialists and private stakeholders, TimesLive reported.
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Unlicensed firearms, which were sent for ballistic testing and 570 rounds of ammunition, were seized by the team.
The ballistic testing will determine if the firearms were used in other crimes, the report said.
The landowner was reportedly also found in possession of illegal firearms and gold-bearing equipment, a report by IOL said.
“All suspects will appear before the Heidelberg Magistrate’s Court on a charge of illegal mining, being in the country illegally, human trafficking, possession of explosives and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition,” the report quoted Mathe as saying.
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Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
