South Africa Police in Cross-Border Smuggling Syndicate Crackdown, 12 Cars Recovered in Four Days
By Delicious Mathuthu
Polokwane, South Africa – In a show of resolve and coordination, Limpopo law enforcement authorities are cracking down on cross-border vehicle smuggling syndicates, recovering 12 stolen vehicles in a sweeping anti-smuggling operation over just four days.
The clampdown, led by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in conjunction with private security firms and intelligence partners, netted high-value recoveries and multiple arrests, as vehicles enroute to Zimbabwe were intercepted in Polokwane, Musina, Witbank, Mokopane and near the Beitbridge Border Post.
“The recovery of these twelve vehicles represents a significant blow to this criminal networks.
“Our officers and their partners continue to work tirelessly to dismantle these syndicates that threaten our communities and economy,” said Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, Limpopo’s Provincial Police Commissioner.
Among the most dramatic moments in the operation was the high-speed chase and recovery of a Toyota Corolla Cross near Bergview on Wednesday evening, 21 May.
Reports say officers from the Musina Task Team attempted to stop the vehicle, reported stolen in Brakpan, Gauteng, earlier this year.
The suspect, however, accelerated before abandoning the car and fleeing into dense bushland. A manhunt is now underway.
Just 30 minutes later, a collaborative unit featuring the Anti-Smuggling Task Team, Tshimollo Security and Investigation, Reflex Anti-Hijacking Security, and Tracker SA, tracked a stolen Toyota Rav4 to the N1 highway near Shell Ultra City in Polokwane.
This time, the suspect, a 43-year-old foreign national, was arrested without incident.
He is expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 23 May 2025.
The 12 recovered vehicles, ranging from Toyota Corolla Cross models to a Ford Ranger and a Nissan 1400, were all stolen or hijacked in Gauteng, SAPS say.
“The recovered vehicles include seven Toyota Corolla Cross, two Toyota Hilux, one Nissan Navara, one Ford Ranger, and one Nissan 1400,” Lieutenant General Hadebe said.
Six of the 12 vehicles were recovered through tracking.
SAPS says the operations were carried out from Thursday to Sunday and involved various police Units, Tracker and Private Security Companies.
All vehicles and suspects have been processed according to proper procedures, said Lieutenant General Hadebe.
Six suspects were arrested across the province in connection with the operation, while police investigations are still ongoing, authorities say the operation is part of a broader and sustained campaign to disrupt cross-border criminal activities.
