Two tons of copper cables valued at R1.2m were discovered at the railway lines between Mariannhill and Shallcross in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal during a multi-disciplinary operation in the area.

Police reported that the operation came about when their team was following up information about people who were stealing copper cables and damaging essential infrastructure.

“Police searched the terrain for several kilometres before they reached Ekuphumuleni Location, where they spotted a house where it was reported that the copper cables were stored.

They found two 34-year-old women inside the house and conducted a search. Police discovered copper cables worth R500 000. Both women were arrested for possession of stolen property,” says KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant Nqobile Gwala.

Gwala says police went to a second house in the same area where they found a 47-year-old man and recovered copper valued at R700 000 upon searching his house.

“The trio appeared before the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Thursday for possession of stolen property, pending the next court date,” says Gwala.