By Bongiwe Dlamini

MBABANE:Eswatini police arrested five (5) people found in possession of firearms according to an online police report released on Wednesday afternoon.

The arrests come after an intelligence operation by the Simunye police conducted in the early hours on Tuesday.

“The operation conducted on 16/12/2025 morning at about 0500 hours the five people were arrested while in their homes. A 40-year-old man of Malindza area was arrested and charged for being found in possession of a single barrel shotgun and one live (1) of ammunition of a 12-bore shotgun without a licence or permit while at Malindza area. He was further charged with the contravention of the Game Act as he was found in possession of a spotted Dikkop bird (Umkhokhoni) which is protected game without a licence or permit while at Malindza area,” reads the report in part.

The police report further states that another suspect, a sixty (60) year-old man of Malindza was arrested and charged for being found in possession of a Baikal shotgun without a licence or permit while at Sikhuphe area. 

“The third suspect, a 63-year-old man of Sikuphe Village was arrested and charged for being found in possession of a bush buck trophy (skull and horns), without a license or permit while at Sikhuphe area. Meanwhile a 41-year-old man of Sikhuphe village was arrested and charged together with a 39-year-old woman of the same area for being found in possession of 13kg of dagga while without a licence or permit at Sikhuphe area. The Royal Eswatini Eswatini Service remains committed to ensuring that crime in communities is suppressed and those that are found to be in conflict with the law are brought to justice,” reads the report in part.