Two fuel theft suspects, aged 35 and 52 - arrested in Mpumalanga on Thursday - will today appear before the Ogies Magistrate Court on various charges.
In a statement, the Hawks in Mpumalanga said the arrests were part of law enforcement interventions aimed at combatting fuel theft.
Several vehicles were also seized during the arrests.
“Hawks officers, accompanied by Crime Intelligence, the Tactical Response Team (TRT), Public Order Police, the K9 unit, environmental inspectors, Transnet officials and Bidvest security, were conducting an operation focusing on Transnet pipelines fuel theft at old Juvenile school in the area,” said Hawks spokesperson, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.
In the process, the multi-agency team followed up on information, which led them to a clandestine address.
Sekgotodi said three commercial trucks and a private vehicle were seized, along with a DHV generator, a SSHP generator, Gazoline water pump generator, 16 bowser diesel (1000 litres), a drum with diesel and two pipes to drain the stolen diesel.
Provincial Hawks head, Major General Zodwa Mokoena, said: “Fuel theft is a serious scourge on our economy. The DPCI [Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation] and all our stakeholders will fight fuel theft on a wide range of fronts, including disruptive operations, which must ultimately lead to arrests.
“This is an encouraging step forward in the fight against diesel theft and organised crime.” – SAnews.gov.za
