POLOKWANE| The persistent operations that are being conducted in the Province to fight against crime, including the smuggling of vehicles and other stolen goods across the border, continue to yield positive results after two motor vehicles worth R1.2 million were yesterday, Thursday 01 September 2022, intercepted at Nyl Plaza tollgate under Mokopane policing area.
The two drivers, a South African aged 52 and a Lesotho national aged 25, were immediately arrested after the initial probe indicated that the vehicles, worth R1.2 million combined, were hijacked in Tembisa and Hartebeespoort (Gauteng Province) respectively and were to be smuggled into Zambia via Beitbridge port of entry.
Members of the Limpopo Tracking Team and the Mahwelereng Flying Squad conducted a joint operation after receiving information from the Crime Intelligence unit about two highjacked motor vehicles, a Toyota Hilux Legend 50 and Toyota Hilux 2.8 GD6 that were to be smuggled out of the country. One of the vehicles was fitted with false registration numbers from Lesotho.
Further investigations revealed that the 52 year old suspect is known to be a runner for smuggling stolen vehicles into neighbouring countries and was positively linked to more than 08 cases of possession of suspected stolen motor vehicles, the latest committed at Akasia in Pretoria in June 2022.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has lauded the team for intercepting these motor vehicles and apprehending the two suspects. “Arrests like this will send a clear message to other criminals that the police have ears and eyes in all corners of the Province to deal with smugglers”, said Lieutenant General Hadebe.
The two suspects will appear before the Mokopane Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 05 September 2022, facing charges of possession of suspected stolen motor vehicles.