Tons of copper cables unearthed in six-month probe
Cables will cost R40-million to replace.
A SIX-MONTH investigation led to the recovery of 25 tons of copper cables destined for India in a raid at Durban Harbour on Thursday, 19 February.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Hawks, began investigating an organisation operating out of the West Rand, Johannesburg in July last year. Burnt copper cables were being stolen in various areas of Gauteng and Mpumalanga, then placed in containers and transported on trains to cargo ships in the Durban Harbour, bound for India.
The 25 tons of copper was tracked from the West Rand and was seized by members of the DPCI Hawks, Customs, SARS, Durban Local Criminal Record Centre, Combined Private Investigators (CPI), Eskom, Telkom and Transnet when it arrived at a container yard at the harbour.
Officials from Eskom, Telkom and Transnet were able to identify it as cables stolen from them. With an estimated street value of about R4,3-million, the theft will cost the three companies about R40-million to replace. No arrests have been made, but the investigation is ongoing.
“We appeal to the community to work together with the police by supplying valuable information that will lead to the arrest of the suspects,” said KZN police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, as she applauded the recovery of the stolen cables.
