Durban - A 23-year-old man has been arrested after police found a bag containing explosives in his possession on Tuesday morning.
Hawks spokesperson, Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said the man has been charged with contravention of the explosives act.
“Members of the Hawks, Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation and Ethekwini District Task Team received information about a suspect who was in possession of commercial explosives. It is alleged that the suspect was in the taxi that was travelling to Durban,” Mhlongo said.
He said that the taxi was intercepted on the M41 and the suspect tried to escape but he was arrested.
Mhlongo said officers found commercial explosives in the man’s bag.
“The Explosive Unit and Local Criminal Record Centre were summoned to process the crime scene as well as to secure the exhibits. The arrested suspect is expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Thursday,” Mhlongo said.
Last month, police recovered explosives at a mine shaft in northern KwaZulu-Natal after a number of suspects fled.
At the time, provincial police spokesperson, Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said that a multidisciplinary operation had been conducted at Kortnek shaft in Pongola.
“During the operation, the team seized equipment used for crushing material, explosives, cutting torches, gas cylinders, various other mining tools as well as eight cellphones,” Ngcobo said.
Investigations continue.