Hawks arrest four after allegedly trying to sell rocket-propelled grenades

Four people have been arrested in South Africa after allegedly trying to sell explosives in two separate incidents, the Hawks said yesterday.

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said three of the suspects, aged between 35 and 69, had been arrested on Tuesday after they were found in possession of two rocket-propelled grenades.

Mulaudzi said the arrests were made by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), together with Crime Intelligence.

He said the three suspects were trying to distribute and sell the explosives within the Mbombela CBD.

They were expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

In a separate incident, the North West Hawks’ firearm task team, assisted by Potchefstroom Crime Intelligence, arrested John Thapelo Mokgobo for illegal possession, dealing and transportation of explosives on Monday.

“The suspect was arrested after it transpired that he was allegedly arranging to sell explosives to a prospective buyer,” Mulaudzi said.

He said the Hawks had followed up on the information and found him in possession of three detonators.

Mokgobo appeared briefly in the Potchefstroom Magistrate’s court on Tuesday and his case was postponed to August 21 for a formal bail application, Mulaudzi said. – News24