Coins, packets of cigarettes, an assault rifle and other illegal firearms were found by a police task team when they arrested two suspects for allegedly extorting spaza shop owners in Cape Town.
Police spokesperson Lt-Col Malcolm Pojie said SAPS acted on information on Monday about five armed men extorting spaza shops in the Kosovo and Samora Machel settlements.
“The members reacted to the information and upon arriving in the area were informed the suspects moved over to Philippi, probably continuing with their extortion activities,” said Pojie.
“The members traced the suspects to Browns Farm where they encountered two men, aged 20 and 22, carrying blue backpacks. Upon seeing the members approaching they acted very nervously.”
A search produced a plastic bag containing coins and packets of cigarettes which were allegedly taken from the shops they extorted.
The suspects then led the officers to different locations in Covid informal settlement, Mfuleni, where an assault rifle was found hidden under a mattress in a room at the first address.
“The members proceeded to the second address where they found two illegal firearms,” said Pojie.
“Both suspects were detained at Mfuleni SAPS and are expected to make their first court appearance in the Blue Downs magistrate’s court once charged.”
TimesLIVE