A bakkie filled with stolen cattle was stopped by alert farmers just outside Ladysmith during the early hours of Tuesday morning, October 31.
Farmers from the Elandslaagte area alerted the local Stock Theft Unit and four men allegedly belonging to a notorious stock theft gang were subsequently arrested.
The bakkie was stopped in the Driefrontein area and on inspection of the vehicle, the farmers found cattle in the back, under a shade cloth and bound with ropes.
The suspects were caught red-handed with three weaners (calves) on the back of the bakkie.
Also read: Public Safety and RTI impound cattle on the R103
Also read: Public Safety officers impound cattle
The animals had gags in their mouths, their ear marks had been cut off at the tips of their ears, and they were still bleeding. The regular brand mark had been tampered with and smudged by burning with a steel wire rod.
Police operations saw nine cattle in total being found in the KZN area. Three of them had been killed.
Well done on the combined effort from the farmers, the police and the community.
The suspects will be charged for stock theft, cruelty to animals and tampering with brands.
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