HAWKS RECOVER UNLICENSED FIREARMS AND FINANCED VEHICLE ASSET
MPUMALANGA– The Secunda-based Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team together with Crime Intelligence and the Secunda K9 unit conducted an intelligence-driven operation which resulted in the recovery of several firearms and an arrest of a 63-year-old suspect on Thursday, 26 January 2023.
The team swiftly responded to information received about the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. They proceeded to the identified address in Secunda, upon arrival the suspect was found at his place of residence.
A search was conducted, and inside the house, a CZ 75B Pistol, 32 Bernadelli pistol, a blank gun, and 9mm, 32 special, 12 Gaige ammunition were found. Members further found a bag containing approximately 1kg of platinum powder.
The firearms were tested and one was found to be stolen during a case of armed robbery reported in Boksburg in 2005, whilst another firearm belonged to a person who died in 2011. He made his first court appearance in the Secunda Magistrates Court on Friday, 27 January 2023. The case against the 63-year-old Eugene van Tonder was postponed to 02 February 2023 for a formal bail application.
Meanwhile, on a separate and unrelated matter, a 37-year-old Frans Bule Nkadimeng, appeared in the Middelburg Magistrates’ court on Friday, 27 January 2023 on charges of fraud.
Also read: Two (2) on the run after Witbank robbery
Nkadimeng reportedly used fraudulent bank statements and payslips to apply for vehicle asset finance in May 2022. The application of a 2017 VW T6 Kombi 2.0 valued at R570, 885.84 submitted at a dealership in Middelburg was approved and the suspect took delivery of the vehicle and never made any payments.
The suspect was traced and arrested in possession of the vehicle by the Middelburg-based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team on Wednesday, 25 January 2023 in Johannesburg after the matter was reported to the police.
He is expected to be back in court on 10 February 2023.
Police urge anyone with any information on Crime to call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111. Alternatively, members of the public can send information via MYSAPSAPP. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
