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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

The country’s national security taskforce deployed to the border with South Africa has intercepted another vehicle worth thousands of United States Dollars that had been smuggled via the Limpopo River.

The Ford Ranger was intercepted near the Panda Mine 2 area, some 60 km east of Beitbridge border post.

Although the national police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi could not be reached for comment, security sources at the border said investigations into the matter were underway.

“The vehicle was intercepted during a stop and search operation by our Ferret team at around 9 pm on Saturday evening,” said the security source.

“The driver was ordered to stop and complied, but disappeared into the bushes. The team then immobilised the vehicle by removing its wheels while they searched the area for more suspects”.

The officials said when the Ferret team returned the vehicle’s registration plates had already been removed and they toured it to Beitbridge main police station.

“We are also investigating another case where it is reported that another Toyota Landcruiser single cab that was being smuggled, got burnt by the suspects in the riverbed,” added the source.

The value of the Ford Ranger is yet to be ascertained.

The case comes a few days after South Africa’s elite cops, the Hawks arrested nine soldiers in their country for abetting the smuggling of stolen vehicles into Zimbabwe.

Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo Province, Captain Matimba Maluleke said the accused persons were arrested during a sting operation after being put on surveillance since 2017.

The operation was dubbed ‘Night Vigil’ and the suspects who were pocketing R15 000 collectively from the smugglers per vehicle will be tried on October 25 at the Musina Magistrate Court. @tupeyo