Stolen vehicle intended to be smuggled outside the country recovered 

Stolen vehicle intended to be smuggled outside the country recovered 

A 35-year-old Man was apprehended traveling on a stolen vehicle along the N1, Mokopane from Johannesburg heading to Beitbridge Border Post to be smuggled out of the country. He was caught by the members of the Provincial Tracking Team in collaboration with Private Security and Investigation Company on Tuesday.

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Lebowakgomo Crime Intelligence Unit provided information about a stolen silver Grey Toyota Fortuner. It was reportedly stolen last week Wednesday, 25 October 2023 in Benoni, Gauteng. 

An intelligence-driven operation was conducted to locate it. The Toyota Fortuner fitting the description was spotted and forced to stop at Nyl Plaza Tollgate. 

POLICE RECOVER STOLEN VEHICLE BEING SMUGGLED OUT OF THE COUNTRY 

A 35-year-old South African male from Springs was immediately arrested on the spot for possession of a stolen motor vehicle. 

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was arrested last year in the Marble Hall policing area with the intention to smuggle a Toyota Fortuner to Zimbabwe. But his case was later withdrawn in court. In addition, it is alleged that last week he also managed to smuggle a Toyota Fortuner to Zimbabwe via Beitbridge Port of Entry (POE).

Further information indicated that he had links with a known suspect who was arrested this year in September month in possession of a Toyota Hilux bakkie while also attempting to smuggle it to Zimbabwe.

The other suspect will be appearing at Mokopane Magistrate court today, 01 November 2023, facing charges of possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe is delighted regarding the sterling work that is continuously displayed by the police in combating the smuggling of stolen motor vehicles in Limpopo province. 

The suspect is expected to appear before the Mokopane Magistrate court soon facing charges of possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.

Beitbridge Border official sneak in fake tobacco truck from Zimbabwe

Beitbridge Border official sneak in fake tobacco truck from Zimbabwe

A former Beitbridge Border Post official has been convicted for assisting a Truck full of semi-manufactured tobacco products to pass through the border from Zimbabwe. This was done without any clearance or documentation in 2016.

Nthapeleng Munyai [47] and the former Clearing Agent, Tsumbedzo Nemaangani (46) were convicted of fraud and corruption by the Musina Regional Court on 30 June 2023.

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The truck was stopped by the Cross Border Road Traffic Agency at the weighbridge. The driver produced forged documents that did not match the details of the truck.

The truck was diverted back to Beitbridge Border Post for physical inspection. During this process, the driver ran away and the clearing agent left the scene.

The truck was physically inspected, and semi-manufactured tobacco products valued at over R6 million were found loaded inside the truck. Preliminary investigation revealed that the load was undeclared at Customs.

A case of fraud was opened at Musina police station. It was handed to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for further handling.

The accused were later arrested by the Polokwane-based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigators. Both accused appeared in the Musina Magistrate Court and were released on bail.

BEITBRIDGE BORDER POST OFFICIAL CONVICTED

The investigations were processed until they were both convicted as follows:

Accused number 1: Nthapeleng Munyai was convicted for Fraud, Forgery, Corruption and Corruption.

The case was remanded to 13 September 2023 for pre-sentence proceedings.

Accused number 2, Tsumbedzo Neaangani was only convicted of fraud. The case was remanded to 13 September 2023 for pre-sentence proceedings. Both accused are also out with their extended bail.