Car smuggling syndicate suspect in court
SOUTH African authorities are expected to make more arrests in connection with a cross-border vehicle smuggling syndicate.
Yesterday one of five suspects arrested during a police intelligence operation at the Beit Bridge border post into Zimbabwe on Wednesday night appeared before the Musina Magistrates court.
Musekwa Mkhwanazi, 32, from Pretoria in Gauteng, was allegedly found in possession of a stolen Toyota Hilux.
Limpopo provincial spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said the other four suspects would appear before the Senwabarwana magistrates court today after having been transferred to Malebogo for further investigations.
The five are suspected of being part of a syndicate that highjacks cars in South Africa with the intention of selling them in Zimbabwe.
“This syndicate was smuggling stolen motor vehicles from SA to Zimbabwe through the Beit Bridge border post for some time,” Ngoepe said.
He said other vehicles seized during the operation include a brand-new Hyundai H1 truck and a BMW 7 Series which is apparently owing about R700 000 to one of the local banks.
He said they also found a Toyota Avanza that was hijacked in Brooklyn in Gauteng.
Ngoepe said the investigations involved the intelligence and the provincial tracking teams.
Ngoepe said SA worked closely with other countries through police agency Interpol to curb such cross-border crimes.