Cops Catch Repeat Offender With Explosives

A fugitive with a dodgy past found himself back behind bars Friday after an observant patrol spotted his rig hauling hazardous contraband once again. The latest bust uncovered commercial explosives, this time stashed behind a discreet compartment inside the spare tire wheel well.

The no-nonsense roadside shakedown exemplified police resolve to snuff out threats before the fuse gets lit, in this case figuratively and literally. For 37-year-old suspect Daniel Masuku, it marked his third explosives-related arrest over the past 17 months.

“We rely on officers trusting instincts in the field, then backing hunches with diligence to get the upper hand on would-be wrongdoers,” said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala. He praised the quick operation that seized the dangerous stockpile at 3 p.m. on a rural route.

A tip was passed forward as part of Operation Shanela, an anonymous community crime prevention project. Uncertain but credible intelligence pointed to a suspicious individual transporting illegal materials in a silver SUV heading north.

An alert patrol awaited, waving the described vehicle aside without hesitation upon sighting it. Officers then orchestrated the search yielding nasty explosives secreted inside clever hideaways.

Already twice busted on similar charges recently, the frequent offender now returns to court Monday to answer for recurring offences. “We urge the public to keep being our extra eyes and ears against residual threats,” Mohlala reiterated.