Cops find weapons in house

2009-01-07 21:13

Johannesburg - Police found illegal firearms and explosives while searching for stolen goods in a house south of Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini said Vaal Rand police were looking for stolen electrical appliances in a double-storey house in Eikenhof after a tip-off, when they found 10 firearms. They confiscated seven hunting rifles, an R-5 assault rifle, a revolver and a 9mm pistol.

Also found were commercial explosives used in automated teller machine bombings and a number of hand and stun grenades. Three cellphones possibly used to detonate the explosives were also found in the house.

More than 50 vehicles and a quad bike were on the property. Four of the cars and the quad bike had been reported stolen.

There was no one inside the house when the police arrived. Two people in their forties were however being questioned.

"The house does not appear like anyone lived in it, but it looks like a rented storage [facility]. There is a possibility that there is a syndicate operation going on," Dlamini said.

Police were determining the origins of the other vehicles found on the property.

- SAPA