A 29-year-old Mozambican man was arrested in Mpumalanga for possession of a hijacked Toyota Hilux GD-6 double cab vehicle, which was reported stolen in Gauteng.

Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa, spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD), said that after being arrested, the 29-year-old driver indicated to police that he works with syndicates that smuggle Toyota Hilux bakkies from South Africa to Mozambique.

“On Monday July 15, at 2pm, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department’s community liaison unit and intervention unit officers intercepted a 29-year-old Mozambican male suspect for possession of a robbed/hijacked motor vehicle in the Delmas area,” said Thepa.

“EMPD officers while performing law enforcement duties, received intel from a well-known tracking company, about a white Toyota Hilux light delivery vehicle that was sought, with an Olifantsfontein case number.”

Police have arrested a 29-year-old Mozambican man in Mpumalanga for possession of a hijacked Toyota Hilux GD-6 double cab vehicle which was reported stolen in Gauteng. Picture: EMPD

The alert EMPD officers immediately initiated a lookout while following coordinate updates from the tracking device, which showed the vehicle moving on the N12 freeway in the direction of Emalahleni, in the Mpumalanga province.

“Officers spotted the vehicle on the N12 freeway, moving at a high speed and immediately called for backup, as a chase ensued. Officers cornered the vehicle in the Delmas area and tactically approached the vehicle, with one occupant inside,” said Thepa.

Police have arrested a 29-year-old Mozambican man in Mpumalanga for possession of a hijacked Toyota Hilux GD-6 double cab vehicle which was reported stolen in Gauteng. Picture: EMPD

“Upon interviewing the Mozambican national, the suspect informed officers that he works with syndicates that smuggle Hilux light delivery vehicles to Mozambique.”

Thepa said the handcuffed 29-year-old suspect was marched to Delmas police station for detention. He is expected to appear before the Delmas Magistrate’s Court soon.

Police have arrested a 29-year-old Mozambican man in Mpumalanga for possession of a hijacked Toyota Hilux GD-6 double cab vehicle which was reported stolen in Gauteng. Picture: EMPD

Last year, IOL reported that the regional court at Mokopane, in Limpopo, had convicted and sentenced a 35-year-old South African man, Shane Mthombeni who was arrested while driving a stolen Toyota Fortuner to Zimbabwe.

At the time, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said Mthombeni was sentenced to six years of direct imprisonment, without the option to pay a fine.

“The court heard that the South African citizen, Shane Mthombeni was intercepted by police while driving a silver motor vehicle, a Toyota Fortuner at Nyl Toll Plaza along the N1 Highway on Monday, October 30,” Mashaba said.

A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to six years behind bars after he was arrested while driving a hijacked Toyota Fortuner along the N1 freeway towards Beitbridge border post to Zimbabwe. Picture: SAPS

Members of the Limpopo police’s provincial tracking team, in conjunction with a private security company operationalised information which had been gathered, and arrested the driver.

IOL