Zimbabwe: The Zimbabwean Republic Police – ZRP has intensified the operations to crack down on the smuggling of vehicles after another vehicle, which was worth over a million rand and was caught. At the same time, the hijackers attempted to cross the border of Zimbabwe, last week.
Reportedly, a Toyota Prada was allegedly hijacked in Brooklyn, Pretoria East, on Monday, Feb 19, 2024. ZRP busted two suspects, aged 26 and 27, who were charged with the possession of the suspected stolen motor vehicle, contravention of the Immigration Act that included driving a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license and reckless and negligent driving.
As per the recent reports the suspects appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Monday, Feb 26, 2024.
As per the sources, an operation was conducted recently, in the context of which Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the South African Police Services (SAPS) in Limpopo arrested two foreign national suspects and seized a stolen motor vehicle, which is worth over a million rand.
Colonel Ledwaba said that the bust on Thursday, Feb 22, 2024 was made through intensified efforts, that consisted of members of the provincial tracking team and private security companies.
Following the case, the hijackers intended to smuggle an SUV vehicle into Zimbabwe through the Beitbridge border post.
Ledwaba mentioned that the car was escorted by another vehicle that used the N1 bypass next to Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane when police spotted them.
The suspects tried to stop the vehicles but the drivers ran away. The two suspects were subsequently nabbed along the R71 bypass that followed a high-speed car chase.
The officer mentioned that the suspects tried to flee on foot but were caught later. Colonel added that the two suspects did not possess valid driver’s licences.
According to the investigations done previously, the senior police officer said that a Ford Ranger Raptor valued R1.5 million was recovered and was enroute to Beitbridge Port of Entry and was intended to be smuggled to Zimbabwe.