The proliferation of illegal firearms was dealt another blow when an intelligence-driven operation conducted in Marikana resulted in the arrest of a 41-year-old man, believed to be a Lesotho national, after police recovered an unlicensed firearm, ammunition, and a replica firearm at his residence in Lapologang, Marikana, on Thursday, 30 July 2026. Members of the Marikana Crime Prevention Unit, assisted by Crime Intelligence and the Rustenburg Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC), operationalised information received and proceeded to the suspect’s residence. During the search, police found and seized one unlicensed firearm, ammunition, and a replica firearm. The suspect was immediately arrested and is expected to appear before the Marikana Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 4 August 2026, on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Arthur Adams, said: “The relentless pursuit to eradicate the communities of the North West of illegal firearms, will persist.