LIMPOPO ANTI-SMUGGLING OPERATION BUSTS FOUR SUSPECTS AND CONFISCATE TWO VEHICLES AT A VALUE OF OVER R2M
POLOKWANE: Four suspects who are foreign nationals aged between 29 and 44, were nabbed for cases including possession of presumed stolen motor vehicle, possession of fraudulent documents, during the anti-smuggling operation conducted on Sunday, 28 April 2024 and the early hours of Monday, 29 April 2024 at Polokwane policing area.
Reportedly, members of Limpopo SAPS Provincial Anti-Smuggling Task Team received a tip off regarding vehicles that were destined to be smuggled out of the country to Malawi and Zimbabwe through Beitbridge Port of Entry.
On Sunday, 28 April 2024, at around 21h30, the team arrested a Malawian male national, who was spotted driving in a grey Toyota Fortuner 2.8, along R101 to Polokwane.
The team tried to stop the vehicle, but it sped off. They followed it at a high speed, and subsequently, the vehicle was stopped next to Polokwane Shell Ultra City in Westenburg policing area.
Preliminary police investigations revealed that the vehicle was reported stolen at Durban Central, in Kwa Zulu-Natal province on Saturday, 27 April 2024.
The suspect aged 44 was arrested for possession of presumed stolen motor vehicle, contravention of immigration act, and operating motor vehicle without valid driver’s license. The grey Toyota Fortuner 2.8 is at a value of R800 000.
In another similar incident, the team also received information in the early hours of Monday, 29 April 2024, regarding a Mercedes Benz truck that was hijacked during 14 April 2024 at Nigel policing area in Gauteng province.
They accurately followed the information, and the described truck was spotted being escorted by a VW Polo driving along the N1 North in Polokwane policing area at around 02h00.
The operational members tried to stop a white truck with a blue tria-axle trailer, but the driver failed to stop. Instead, he had increased speed. They chased it, and he drove into a nearby farm, damaging the fence and jumped out of the truck trying to evade arrest, but in the process, he got seriously injured on his left leg.
Other members managed to stop and search the said, white VW Polo with two occupants. They were found in possession of fraudulent documents of the truck.
The three suspects aged between 29 and 43 were arrested for possession of presumed stolen motor vehicle and possession of fraudulent documents.
The injured driver was taken to a local hospital, and he is under Police Guard. The truck is at a value of R2 million.
The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo Police, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has expressed her appreciation to all the team members who partipated in this operation, thus resulting to the significant recovery of the stolen vehicles and the subsequent arrest of the suspects involved.
All four suspects will appear before Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 30 April 2024. The injured suspect will appear in absentia.
The Police investigations are continuing.
