City of Cape Town law enforcement cracks down on firearm 'hidey holes'

The City of Cape Town reports success in its game of hide and seek with criminals attempting to conceal illegal firearms.

The latest arrests include a man in Hanover Park with a firearm hidden under the carpet of his car and another in Delft with two firearms hidden underneath his mattress.

A third man was arrested in Khayelitsha at a vehicle checkpoint after a 9mm pistol was found under his seat.

Last week city law enforcement officers arrested a 45-year-old Hanover Park woman after a tip-off led them to 29 rounds of ammunition hidden in a hole behind her bath.

Metro law enforcement advancement plan officers recovered seven firearms and arrested 279 people for various offences over the past week.

“While the arrests and confiscations may seem never ending, we must remember that for each firearm confiscated at least one life is saved, not counting any number of innocent residents who could have been wounded,” safety and security MMC JP Smith,” said.

“The rampant shooting won’t be halted overnight until we see serious reform in the criminal justice system, but until then our enforcement staff will continue to remove illegal firearms from the streets. We will continue to take action against those who threaten our communities, as everyone deserves to live, work and play in a safe environment,” Smith said.

TimesLIVE