Young women arrested in vehicle smuggling bust near Polokwane
Two young women, aged 19 and 20, were arrested on the R101 near Polokwane in a failed attempt to smuggle a stolen bakkie into Zimbabwe.
POLOKWANE – Two young women, age 19 and 20, will appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court today on charges of possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.
The duo were arrested on the R101 near the Polokwane weighbridge on Sunday night (May 18) during a coordinated anti-smuggling operation involving SAPS’ Anti-Smuggling team, Tshimollo Security and Investigation and Reflex Anti-Hijacking Security.
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The Limpopo police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said officers intercepted a double cab bakkie on the R101, with preliminary investigations confirming that the vehicle was stolen last Friday (May 16) in the Garsfontein area in Pretoria.
The vehicle was destined for the Beitbridge Border Post to be smuggled into Zimbabwe.
“During the stop, one male suspect fled into nearby bushes, while two female suspects attempted to escape but were apprehended after a foot chase and arrested,” he said.
In a separate incident, officers intercepted an SUV in the Mokopane CBD, also en route to Beitbridge, with investigations revealing that the vehicle was reported stolen in the Wierdabrug policing area in Pretoria on Friday.
“The driver, a 34-year-old undocumented foreign national was arrested and will appear before the Mokopane Magistrate Court today,” Ledwaba said.
The provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has commended the operational teams for their relentless efforts, resulting in the recovery of the stolen vehicles valued at R1.4m.
