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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
South Africa’s organised crime busting unit, the Hawks, have arrested nine people, including five police officers and one immigration officer at Beitbridge Border Post on charges of corruption, fraud and smuggling of stolen vehicles from that country into Zimbabwe. Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo province, Captain Matimba Maluleke said the suspects were arrested between Monday and Tuesday during a crime intelligence driven operation code named, “Mirror”.

He said the group had been put under surveillance for two years. “The nine suspects aged between 32 to 51 years, among them five police officers and a Home Affairs official were arrested on January 22 and 23 in Limpopo for alleged corruption, fraud and smuggling of suspected stolen vehicles out of South Africa,” said Captain Maluleke.

“The arrests are a culmination of a Hawks’ investigative project dubbed ‘Mirror’ aimed at addressing corrupt officials and illegal activities which includes, smuggling of suspected stolen vehicles at the border post of Beitbridge near Musina.

“The five police officers who were stationed at Tom Burke SAPS (South African Police Service) and the border post respectively, as well as one Home Affairs official and three runners were under Hawks radar since 2016 following complaints by the public.”

Captain Maluleke said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects would allegedly forge documents to facilitate the smuggling of stolen vehicles through the Beitbridge Border Post. In return, they would get bribes from their accomplices.

Captain Maluleke said one of the police officers, Sergeant Israel Mandiwana, who is stationed at Beitbridge Border Post had since appeared before a Makhado magistrate’s court. Mandiwana was remanded in custody to February 1 for formal bail application.

Captain Maluleke said his accomplices will also appear in different courts. “We are leaving no stone unturned as we seek to reduce cases of cross-border crimes relating to smuggling and theft of motor vehicles,” he said.

Over 40 people have been arrested in the last 12 months while smuggling stolen vehicles into Zimbabwe from South Africa through illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River.

Smuggling of vehicles between Zimbabwe and South Africa’s border is rife, amid reports that most of the cars would be destined for Tanzania and Malawi.

Some of the vehicles also find their way on to the local market.