R16 MILLION GOLD, PAIR APPEARED IN COURT
GAUTENG: Daniel Schubert (61) and Adriaan Petrus du Plessis (49) appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrates court on 14 May 2025 for possession of suspected stolen property and possession of unwrought gold worth R16 million.
The pair appeared in court following their arrest after the Germiston based Serious Organised Crime Investigation received information about a grey BMW vehicle travelling from the Free State with the aim of arriving in Gauteng and selling the gold.
The multi-disciplinary team comprising of the Serious Organised Crime of the Hawks, Gauteng SAPS Flying Squad spotted the identified vehicle on the R21, which was successfully pulled over. Upon searching, both the vehicle and the occupants, the team discovered a bag containing 80 x 100 gram gold bars with an estimated value of R16 million. The pair could not furnish the officers with documentation to be transporting such materials and were subsequently arrested for unlawful possession of unwrought and possession of suspected stolen property.
They have since appeared in court and their case remanded to the 22 May 2025 for formal bail application. The pair remains in custody.
Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, the Provincial Head of the Hawks in Gauteng, commended the team for their outstanding work. “The Hawks remain steadfast in their mission to dismantle illegal mining and smuggling networks. Criminals must understand that no one is beyond the reach of the law. We will continue to use every available resource to combat these unlawful activities that exploit our country’s precious metals for personal gain,” Major General Kadwa emphasized.
