Picture: Saps
A hijacked truck transporting groceries worth about R2 million was recovered by a multi-disciplinary team in Kimberly, Northern Cape, and six men arrested.
On Tuesday, a hijacked truck carrying groceries was found, and six men were apprehended and arrested in Galeshewe, Kimberley after the quick response of a multidisciplinary South African Police Service (Saps) team made up of the Northern Cape provincial organised crime investigation: crime detection, Kimberley flying squad, and Kimberley crime prevention unit.
This comes after the station commander of the Prieska police station received information on Tuesday that a truck transporting goods was allegedly hijacked en route to Prieska.
“He immediately communicated the information with the provincial head of organised crime investigation: crime detection, who activated his team, who were executing election duties in the Kimberley area.
“The team assisted by Kimberley Flying Squad and crime prevention reacted within minutes and traced the truck,” said Northern Cape Saps spokesperson Brigadier Mashay Gamieldien.
“The truck was found at a house in Galeshewe at approximately 4:30 pm, and when members approached the premises, they found six men busy off-loading the goods.”
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The six suspects were arrested at the scene, one of whom is a repeat offender.
The recovered stolen goods valued at approximately R2 million were confiscated, and the hijacked truck valued at R900 000 was seized.
The suspects were charged with hijacking and possession of suspected stolen goods.
They are expected to appear in the Kimberley Magistrates Court soon.
Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, the province commissioner, expressed her excitement at the team’s prompt response and gave them credit for their efforts to provide a secure environment, particularly with the elections currently taking place.
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On Monday, the Limpopo police recovered five tipper trucks and a Toyota Hilux double cab loaded with stolen chrome taken from illegal mining sites along R555 Road outside Burgersfort.
The five male truck drivers, aged between 36 and 66, were arrested for possession of suspected stolen precious minerals, while the sixth unknown male suspect fled the scene on foot.
In a separate incident, also on Monday, border police recovered millions of rands worth of illicit cigarettes at Musina in Vhembe District near the Beitbridge Port of Entry.
The cigarettes were being transported in a white Toyota Quantum while driving in Musina at about 3 pm.
After the driver realised that he was cornered by the police, he jumped out of the vehicle and fled the scene on foot, evading arrest.
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The police counted about one hundred and nine boxes of illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R2.2 million.
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