By Evans Dakwa
Limpopo – The efforts of the anti-smuggling task team in Limpopo continue to bear fruits as a 34 year-old male suspect has been apprehended after being found in possession of and driving a stolen vehicle.
The Toyota Hilux bakkie that was allegedly stolen on Saturday 12 July 2025 in Gauteng province,City of Pretoria under Lyttleton policing area and preliminary investigations revealed that the bakkie was intended to be illegally smuggled to Zimbabwe.
Circumstances around the case are that On Monday 14 July 2025, an information was received about the bakkie that was reportedly driven from Gauteng province along the R101 public road headed to Limpopo Province.The Anti-Smuggling Task Team and private Security operationalized the information and a joint operation was activated .
The bakkie was later positively spotted entering Mokopane town and immediately stopped and searched. A 34 year-old male driver could not provide satisfactory response about the origin of a white Toyota Hilux bakkie valued at more than R700 000 ,00 and was immediately placed under an arrest on the spot for possession of suspected stolen motor vehicle.
The Provincial Commissioner of police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the latest arrest and recovery of the vehicle saying “This collaboration between police and private security has proven from time to time that working jointly we can achieve more in combating the organized syndicate targeting vehicle smuggling” Concluded General Hadebe.