All of the weapons, according to SAPS, were recovered through various crime prevention actions.

These include intelligence-driven operations of the so-called Operation Shanela, routine patrols, stops and searches, and preventive actions at vehicle checkpoints.

A firearm taken from the wrong hands means a lot, because it could have been used to take a life or destroy one’s property, said Gauteng police commissioner Lt. Gen. Elias Mawela.

In his remarks, the senior officer thanked members of the community for their support and participation in the fight against crime by reporting illegal activities and giving leads on criminals.

Mawela recalled that firearms remain the weapon of choice used by criminals in serious and violent crimes committed in Gauteng.

The SAPS, he maintained, will continue to make efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal and unlicensed firearms in the province.

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