Driver flees leaving truck with US$100k worth of c...

Driver flees leaving truck with US$100k worth of copper cables at Beitbridge

File pic of a truck loaded with copper cables in South Africa

The driver of a truck laden with a 5-tonne contraband of suspected stolen copper cables worth nearly US$100 000 that were being smuggled into South Africa fled from the scene after border security interception.

“Initial indications are that our officers reacted to a tip-off and swooped on a South Africa-bound commercial truck at the border. Unfortunately, the truck driver escaped before they could get to him and we have leads and are looking for him,” Chief Superintendent Bekezela Ndlovu, who was leading the “No to Cross Border Crimes” operation,

Part of the contraband with a street value of US$97 400 belongs to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company and National Railways of Zimbabwe.

Chief Supt Ndlovu said they had seized the copper cables, copper scrap, a used cans consignment, the horse and trailer and handed them over to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.

Incidences of smuggling are on the rise and authorities on both sides of the border post have intensified patrols and checks.

https://zimbabwenow.co.zw/articles/629/border-jumpers-pump-8-bullets-into-zimbabwean-soldier-on-patrol-duty-in-beitbridge

In March the National Security Taskforce in Beitbridge intercepted 15 buses carrying thousands of dollars’ worth of contraband during an operation in the border town.

In July police arrested about 5 000 people for cross-border-related crimes and seized 11 floating boats from various smuggling points. In August, a joint operation involving South African border control guards and Zimbabwean security officials destroyed an illegal bridge made of logs, metal poles and sand bags along the Limpopo River near Beitbridge.