R15m mineral bust: Police task team closes in on mine theft syndicate

 National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe has revealed that a task team has been deployed to the Richards Bay area to prevent, combat and put a stop to the theft of mineral continues to dismantle a syndicate behind a spate of mineral looting.

In the latest recovery, the task team traced Zircon and Chloride minerals worth R15 million to a warehouse in Johannesburg.

‘Mineral looting’: From Richards Bay to Gauteng

“The minerals that are mined from Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) were diverted from the Richards Bay Harbour and stored at a warehouse where they were being repackaged to be sold to international buyers,” Mathe said in a statement on Saturday.

She explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects would allegedly transport fake minerals to the harbour and divert the original minerals to Gauteng.

“On Wednesday [24 April] the team pounced on the warehouse and during a thorough search of the premises found the minerals worth millions. Police have registered a case of theft,” Mathe said.

The latest recovery is the task team’s second success so far.

In March 2024, the team also found minerals at a Durban warehouse. The driver of the truck and the owner of the warehouse have since been arrested.

Police clamp down on illegal activities in mining sector

National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, applauded the work of the task team who is also investigating the assassination of executives in the area.

“So far, 202 unlicensed firearms have been seized, 43 suspects have been arrested and 68 dockets are currently under investigation. Our intelligence remains on the ground to put a stop to these illegal activities in the mining sector,” said Masemola.

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