POLOKWANE – A stolen Toyota Corolla Cross GR worth R600 000 was recovered on the N1 outside Polokwane on Sunday morning (November 30 ), thanks to a coordinated anti-smuggling operation by police and private security teams.

The provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe, praised the swift action of the multidisciplinary teams that intercepted the vehicle and arrested two suspects.

According to police, intelligence was received early on Sunday about a stolen vehicle travelling from Gauteng toward the Beitbridge border.

The Limpopo police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said the SAPS Limpopo Tracking Team, working with Shadowsecure Security, Tshimollo Security and Investigation, Tracker SA and other external law enforcement partners, launched an observation operation along the N1.

“The vehicle, matching the description of the stolen Toyota Corolla Cross, was spotted near Mall of the North. Officers pulled it over and confirmed that it had been reported stolen in Pretoria Central. Two men inside the vehicle, a 38-year-old Zimbabwean national and a 43-year-old Malawian national, were arrested on the scene,” Ledwaba’s statement read.

He confirmed that a case of possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle has been opened and that the suspects will appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court today (December 2).

Hadebe commended the strong partnership between police and private security providers, noting that cross-border vehicle smuggling remains a major problem.

“This successful interception shows the power of collaboration in stopping criminals who use Limpopo routes to smuggle stolen vehicles out of the country,” she said.

Police investigations continue.