Durban - An 80-year-old man was one of two people arrested for possession of illegal firearms in the Free State over the weekend, provincial police said on Sunday.
According to brigadier MS Makhele, two unlicensed firearms were confiscated by the Parkweg tactical response team after they received intelligence reports about a house in Kanana section, Wepener, housing the weapons.
"Members immediately travelled to Wepener on Saturday at about 7.30pm and headed straight to the house. On arrival they found two males - aged 80 and 45. Upon searching the house and a red Nissan 1400 parked outside, they found two firearms, a black Lorcin with one magazine and nine live rounds, and a silver Norinco with five live rounds, hidden under the seat of the Nissan."
The firearms were confiscated and the men arrested. They would appear in the Wepener Magistrate's Court on Monday, said Makhele.
The weapons are to be sent for ballistic testing to determine if they were used in the commission of crimes.
The provincial police commissioner, lieutenant-general Baile Motswenyane, lauded the members for the swift reaction and recovery of the firearms.
Makhele urged citizens to hand over their weapons at their nearest police stations before the country's six-month firearm amnesty ended in May 2020.