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Thupeyo Muleya
THE South African Police Service (SAPS) said on Wednesday it will not relent in its quest to reduce cross-border crime, especially the smuggling of stolen vehicles between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Most vehicle theft syndicates are stealing the cars, including from dealerships and insurance companies, before smuggling them to Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique via Zimbabwe.
However, some cars find their way to the Zimbabwean market.
SAPS spokesperson for Limpopo province Colonel Malasela Ledwaba said they arrested two suspects aged 25 and 39 in the latest clampdown while driving stolen vehicles and heading to Beitbridge Border Post.
“In a collaborative effort, two male suspects aged 25 and 39 were apprehended separately during an anti-smuggling operation conducted along N1 South, adjacent to Shell Ultra City and between R71 robots, for charges including possession of stolen motor vehicles, contravention of the Immigration Act and reckless and negligent driving on Monday, March 4, 2024,” said Colonel Ledwaba.
“Acting on intelligence received from the Crime Intelligence Unit regarding a stolen vehicle from Gauteng enroute to Zimbabwe through Beitbridge, the police swiftly operationalised the information.
“The operation, executed by the provincial tracking team, provincial murder and robbery unit, and private security personnel, successfully intercepted the vehicle on N1 South, near Shell Ultra City, leading to the arrest of one suspect for possession of a stolen motor vehicle and violating the Immigration Act.”
He said the police recovered a silver Isuzu KB 4×4 valued at R400 000 and apprehended the suspect, who was previously engaged in smuggling multiple 4×4 vehicles out of the SA.
Preliminary investigations, he added, revealed that the vehicle in question had been hijacked on Friday, (March 1, 2024), in Soshanguve in Pretoria.
Col Ledwaba said the second suspect aged 39 was arrested following a high-speed chase along the N1 bypass behind Peter Mokaba when he was cornered near R71 robots while driving a suspected stolen Ford Raptor, which is charcoal in colour.
“The vehicle in question was reportedly hijacked in Moffatview, Gauteng. Further investigations have revealed that the suspect is a frequent traveller across Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, allegedly involved in the transportation of stolen 4×4 vehicles,” he said.
The suspects are expected to appear in court soon.
Online Reporter