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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

LIMPOPO police have arrested two men who are alleged to be part of a syndicate that is stealing vehicles from South Africa and smuggling them into Zimbabwe en route to other countries north of the Zambezi River.

One of the suspects, (39) is already facing a similar charge after he was recently caught trying to smuggle a stolen motor vehicle into Mozambique through the Lembobo border post.

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson for Limpopo, Colonel Malasela Ledwaba said the police were out in full force to eradicate cross-border related crimes.

He said the first suspect was arrested in Polokwane in the early hours of March 15, 2024, following an intelligence-driven operation led by the South African Police Service’s specialised Anti-Smuggling Unit.

“Information was received about the male suspect driving a Toyota Prado allegedly hijacked in Randfontein, Gauteng heading towards Polokwane. The suspect was intercepted along the N1 South road next to the shell garage in the Westenburg policing area,” said Col Ledwaba.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the vehicle was hijacked on 12 March 2024 and was meant to be smuggled into Zimbabwe through the Beitbridge border post.

It was further established that the suspect is already facing a similar charge after he was recently caught trying to smuggle a stolen motor vehicle into Mozambique through the Lembobo border post.”

The suspect is currently in custody and is expected to appear before Polokwane Magistrate’s Court soon facing charges of possession of a presumed stolen motor vehicle and possession of fraudulent documents.

Cold Ledwaba said further investigations are underway, and additional arrests have not been ruled out.

He said the second suspect was arrested outside Polokwane City near Lunds Farm while driving a stolen Ford Raptor while on his way to smuggle the car into Zimbabwe.

“In a continued effort to combat the illegal smuggling of vehicles across our borders, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo has made another significant breakthrough in its operation,” said Col Ledwaba.

“On Sunday morning, 17 March 2024, in a meticulously coordinated operation, police forces intercepted another suspect along the R101 next to Lunds farm driving a Ford Raptor on the way to be smuggled out of the country into one of the neighbouring countries, (Zimbabwe), through the Beitbridge border post.

Preliminary information indicates that the vehicle was hijacked on Friday, 15 March in Pretoria. The 39-year-old suspect is facing a similar charge and is due to make another court appearance before Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday after he was released on bail.”

Limpopo police commander, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, said the arrests send a strong message to individuals involved in smuggling and other forms of organized crime that the SAPS, along with its partners, remains vigilant and committed to upholding the law.

“We will continue to disrupt the operations of criminal networks that threaten the economic stability and security of our country.”

The development comes shortly after a 36-year-old Zimbabwean man was jailed for an effective eight years by a Mokopane Regional Court in South Africa after he was found driving a stolen car that was heading to the Limpopo River.

The smuggling of vehicles has become rampant around the border line and the government is losing millions of dollars in import revenue annually.

A modest car is charged 96 percent import duty inclusive of VAT and Surtax on the total invoice value.

Indications are that most of the cars are stolen from rental cars in South Africa while thefts are orchestrated by insurance fraud syndicates in that country.

In insurance fraud, the vehicles are clandestinely sold and smuggled out of South Africa, after which their owners working with syndicates then report them stolen and claim insurance money.

X @tupeyo