Hawks arrest undocumented shop owner for stolen firearm, raising alarm over illegal arms trade
A 30-year-old undocumented Mozambican national who runs a spaza shop in Embalenhle will appear in court on Thursday for possession of a stolen firearm
Image: Hawks
A 30-year-old undocumented Mozambican national who runs a spaza shop in Embalenhle was arrested on Wednesday for possession of a stolen firearm.
Hawks spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, said the Secunda-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation team received information on 24 November that the man, who operates a shop in Embalenhle’s Gate 6 area, was allegedly in possession of a firearm.
Officers conducted surveillance and gathered enough evidence to obtain a search warrant.
On Wednesday, the Hawks, assisted by the Secunda K9 Unit, executed the warrant. Nkosi said a firearm that had been reported stolen in Embalenhle in March 2021 was recovered, with its serial number still clearly visible.
Six live rounds of ammunition were also seized.
“The firearm will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether it was used in the commission of any other crimes,” Nkosi said.
The suspect was arrested and is expected to appear in the Evander Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 4 December 2025.
Meanwhile, Mpumalanga provincial head of the Hawks, Major General Nico Gerber, said investigators would probe whether the weapon was linked to other offences.
He commended the officers involved for their collaborative effort and “outstanding work,” adding that the DPCI would ensure a thorough investigation and “a positive outcome on the case.”
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
IOL News