Big arms cache found in KZN
2005-03-22 08:39
Nalini Naidoo
Pietermaritzburg - Police investigating a suspected illegal burial site at Boston in the midlands were surprised when their poking around revealed weapons and not a body.
They discovered a substantial arms cache comprising grenades, ammunition, an anti-personnel mine and 60 mm-barrel mortar launcher in the "shallow grave" late on Monday afternoon.
KZN Provincial Commissioner Hamilton Ngidi announced soon after the discovery that a crack task team comprising Crime Intelligence and Bomb Disposal experts will investigate the cache.
He said police received information of soil disturbance in the Boston area. The site initially appeared to be a grave and, suspecting that a body might be buried there, police started digging. Their excavation turned up the arms cache.
The Bomb Disposal Unit was called in and found 17 M26 rifle grenades and 43 M26 hand grenades packed in boxes. Further digging revealed an anti-personnel mine, three green smoke grenades, four stoppers, one 60 mm-barrel mortar launcher and one 1 000-foot flare.
Also unearthed were 24 magazines for various types of firearms, and two LMG bands each containing 20 rounds.
Also found were 478 rounds of 9 mm calibre ammunition, 241 rounds of 7,62 ammunition and 1 640 R1 rounds.
Ngidi added that the arms cache was removed by Bomb Disposal for safekeeping and expert examination for its safety and stability.
"Our other forensic experts from the Local Criminal Record Centre will also examine the grenades and packages for clues.
"The SAPS is determined to establish the origin of the grenades and ammunition, and will not hesitate in prosecuting anyone responsible for burying these weapons," he said.
National Commissioner Jackie Selebi is being kept fully abreast of the investigation.
The provincial commissioner reminded the public that late last year Safety and Security Minister, Charles Nqakula announced an amnesty for the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, which ends on March 31, 2005. Ngidi urged people to hand in illegal weapons.