According to Limpopo SAPS spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, the breakthrough came when police received a tip-off from a resident and pounced on the suspects' homes late last week.

"The Provincial Tracking Team and the Tzaneen Cluster Trio Crime Task Team conducted an intelligence driven operation on Thursday at Bolobedu South, outside Tzaneen, leading to the recovery of an arms cache and other items.

"During the operation, five suspects who are residents of Ga-Kubjana and Relela villages near Tzaneen were arrested and taken into police custody," Ngoepe said.

Two pistols, 14 rifles and 318 rounds of different calibre ammunition were found buried in the yard of one of the suspect's homes.

"Serial numbers on some of the recovered firearms have identified the weapons and positively link it back to at least two separate incidents. Preliminary investigations point to the possibility that these suspects might be connected to a series of farm attacks in the area and more arrests are expected," Ngoepe added.

The suspects are scheduled to appear in the Tzaneen Magistrate's Court on Monday on various charges, ranging from house robberies to the possession of firearms and ammunition without a licence.

News24