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Three men were arrested by the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department’s public order unit on Monday morning after they were found in possession of unlicenced firearms and ammunition as well as an undisclosed amount of money.
This after a shootout between the suspects and unit on the N17 freeway near Springs before 09:00.
The cops had stopped a white Toyota Fortuner SUV that was travelling east bound toward Daggafontein. Six men were spotted inside the vehicle.
The driver got out and when he was asked to provide his driver's licence he explained he had left his documents at home, department spokesperson Kobeli Mokheseng said.
Mokheseng added as the driver was conversing with officers, a 9mm CZ firearm and 15 live rounds fell out when three men exited the vehicle.
The three started shooting at the police and ran toward a nearby informal settlement.
"The public order police service unit retaliated and three male suspects, between the ages of 35 and 40, were shot and arrested. The police recovered a sports bag full of money inside the Toyota Fortuner," Mokheseng said.
He added that while it was not clear why the suspects had been in possession of the money, it is suspected it was obtained illegally.
The three suspects are under police guard in hospital.
They faced charges of attempted murder as well as the possession of unlicenced firearms and ammunition and would appear in the Springs Magistrate's Court soon once they have recovered from their respective hip, foot and abdomen injuries, Mokheseng said.
"No officers were wounded during the exchange of gunfire. The Toyota Fortuner was impounded at Benoni Van Ryn's Deep for thorough investigations. The other three suspects are still at large," he added.
