South African authorities are continuing with their crack down on cross border car smuggling rackets that are stealing vehicles and carrying out insurance fraud before illegally moving the cars to Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique via the Limpopo River.

In a recent breakthrough on Monday, the Limpopo anti-smuggling team thwarted an attempt to smuggle vehicles valued at around R1, 6 million and arrested two suspects.

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson for Limpopo province, Colonel Malasela Ledwaba said they arrested two men aged 32 and 33 years for allegedly being in possession of motor vehicles presumed to have been stolen.

These were nabbed during the anti-smuggling operation conducted between Sunday and Monday in the Capricorn District.

"The members of Limpopo SAPS Provincial Anti-Smuggling Task Team and Capricorn District Flying Squad received a tip-off about two vehicles that were to be smuggled to Zimbabwe through the Beitbridge Port of entry," said Colonel Ledwaba.

"The team swiftly responded and two vehicles, a grey Toyota Fortuner 2.8 and a White Toyota Hilux GD6 double cab, were spotted being driven along the R71 from Boyne, in Mankweng policing area towards Polokwane.

"The members stopped the two vehicles, and upon searching them, the drivers failed to produce the valid documents for them. Both vehicles had false registration number plates and license discs. The suspects were immediately arrested."

He said preliminary investigations revealed that the Fortuner, valued at R900 000, was reported stolen at Muldersdrift in Gauteng Province on 22 June, 2024.

Colonel Ledwaba said the Toyota Hilux double cab, valued at R700 000, had been stolen in Brooklyn Pretoria, Gauteng Province, on the same day.

He said the two suspects will soon appear before the Mankweng Magistrate's