Two men accused of transporting suspected stolen gold worth R16 million appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on May 14.

Daniel Schubert (61) and Adriaan Petrus du Plessis (49) face charges of possession of unwrought gold and possession of suspected stolen property.

Their arrest follows an intelligence-led operation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team, based in Germiston.

Acting on a tip-off, the team tracked a grey BMW travelling from the Free State into Gauteng, allegedly intending to sell the gold.

With the assistance of the Gauteng SAPS Flying Squad, the vehicle was intercepted on the R21 highway.

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On searching the car and its occupants, authorities discovered a bag containing 80 gold bars, each weighing 100 grams, valued at approximately R16 million.

“The pair failed to produce any documentation authorising them to transport the gold,” said the Hawks in a statement. “They were arrested on the spot.”

The accused have been remanded in custody and are due back in court on May 22 for a formal bail application.

Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, Provincial Head of the Hawks in Gauteng, praised the operation and sent a clear warning to others involved in illegal mining and smuggling.

“Criminals must understand that no one is beyond the reach of the law. We will continue to use every available resource to dismantle unlawful networks that exploit our country’s precious metals for personal gain,” he said.