Seven men implicated in a planned armed robbery at an address alleged to be a location where gold and cash were kept, were arrested by members of the Operation Vala uMgodi Combat team in Virginia on Thursday.
The team received operationalised intelligence on 26 September about the address where the robbery was to take place.
Observation and way-lay were executed and the identified Black-Mercedes Benz C-Class and a Black Jeep Cherokee were spotted moving in Virginia just after sunset.
The members searched the vehicles and a Glock 9 mm pistol, a Norinco and a Taurus .38 Special revolver were found hidden in a compartment beneath the front passenger seat of the Jeep Cherokee.
None of the occupants of the vehicles had firearm licences.
Five magazines and 45 live rounds of ammunition were seized. The seven suspects, aged between 44 and 56, were then arrested for conspiracy to commit crime and possession of unlicensed firearms. A case docket was opened at the Virginia Police Station.
“Collaboration to eradicate illicit mining activities between the SAPS, private security companies, other roleplayers and stakeholders continues,” says Lt Col Thabo Covane, spokesperson for the SAPS in the Free State.
On 26 September nine suspects aged between 22 and 44 were arrested at Kopanong Mine, for trespassing on mine premises, attempted theft of government minerals and precious metals, as well as contravention of the Immigration Act.
