JMPD and SAPS recovered R22 million worth of hijacked cigarettes during a joint operation on Tuesday, February 14.
Officers received a tip-off that cigarettes were being suspiciously off-loaded at a storage facility in Fortune Street, City Deep. Upon arrival on the scene, the officers discovered 10 male suspects loading boxes off a truck which was hijacked on the N3 near Heidelberg.
The officers managed to arrest two of the suspects, but eight escaped.
MMC for Public Safety Michael Sun informed said: “Hijacking of high-value merchandise is a planned and syndicated crime comprising a chain of criminal activities, such as the storage, transport and reselling of stolen goods and laundering of money thereafter.
“The ill-begotten proceeds would thereafter also be used to fund an array of other criminal activities. I commend the JMPD and the SAPS officers for their effort in recovering this high-value merchandise and apprehending two of the suspects.
“These joint efforts between JMPD and SAPS prove effective and must continue in order to crack down on syndicates and criminals in the City of Johannesburg.”
For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za
Add us on WhatsApp today! Comaro Chronicle: 079 427 8074 and Southern Courier: 079 404 5789.
