Luxury car theft racket
INTO ZIMBABWE: DONKEYS DRAG CARS ACROSS LIMPOPO RIVER BED
Police recover several high-end cars being smuggled across the border.
Police recovered yet another luxury vehicle during an attempted smuggling operation across the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe this week. A group was using donkeys to pull the new-shape MercedesBenz C220 across the sand, but it got stuck on the opposite bank, said Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
Police came on the scene just before the vehicle could be taken to Zimbabwe, but the group fled into the bush.
Investigations are continuing.
Last week, police recovered another Mercedes-Benz during a smuggling bid across the same river.
The vehicle also got stuck in the sand of the river bed.
“The vehicle, a white MercedesBenz, was stolen in Durban and it belongs to a rental company.
“It was apparently being smuggled into Zimbabwe when it got stuck.
“A 28-year-old suspect has been arrested for possession of a suspected stolen vehicle,” Mojapelo said in a statement.
There was a similar incident in December last year when police spotted a stolen vehicle half-submerged in the Limpopo River.
A group, who fled into Zimbabwe, were using five donkeys to pull the vehicle out of the river towards the Zimbabwe side, Mojapelo said at the time.
Also in December last year, about just 2km from that incident, police in a helicopter spotted a donkey cart conveying goods to the Zimbabwe side of the Limpopo River. A Range Rover, valued at R900 000, was also recovered in the operation after it was intercepted en route to Malawi.
The driver was arrested.
“An amount of R30 000 was found in his possession. “The vehicle was on the verge of crossing the Beitbridge border post,” said Mojapelo.
A Ford Ranger was also intercepted when the suspected thieves were about to cross the Limpopo River, but they fled into the bush as the police pounced.
Three other vehicles, an Audi A6 valued at R400 000, a Mercedes-Benz C180 valued at R380 000 and a Datsun Go valued at R90 000 were also recovered along the N1, north of Musina, during this operation.
Mojapelo last week said the crime intelligence-driven operation, comprising members from the Tactical Response Team, Public Order Police and the K9 unit, supported by the SA National Defence Force, was making a “tremendous impact” on cross-border crimes, such as smuggling of stolen
The police are making a tremendous impact.
property, including vehicles.
The operation is targeting the areas along the border between Phafuri, Beitbridge and Pontdrift.
“Provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba has commended all the members involved for their sterling performance.
“He concluded by stating that these successes will send a clear message that the police in the province are ready to intercept and confiscate any stolen goods from being smuggled,” read the statement by Mojapelo. – Caxton News Service