LIMPOPO – Police Recover Stolen $138,000 Luxury SUV En Route to Zimbabwe, Arrest Zimbabwean Suspect
Police in Limpopo have intercepted and recovered a high-performance luxury SUV valued at over $138,000 (approximately R2.5 million) during a targeted anti-smuggling operation conducted along the N1 highway near Polokwane on Wednesday.
The operation, led by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in collaboration with private security partners—including ShadowSecure Security, Tshimollo Security and Investigations, and Tracker Connect—was launched after receiving intelligence that a stolen vehicle was travelling from Gauteng towards the Beitbridge border post.
Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba confirmed that a white Nissan Patrol V8 5.6, matching the description, was spotted and intercepted near Shell Ultra City in the Westernburg policing area.
“Investigations confirmed that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Brooklyn, Pretoria,” Mashaba said.
A 51-year-old Zimbabwean national, who was driving the SUV, was arrested on the spot and charged with possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle. He is scheduled to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe applauded the swift and coordinated response, praising the collaboration between SAPS and private security firms in curbing cross-border crime and vehicle smuggling.
This incident follows a similar case in May, when police arrested 31-year-old Mikael Mlambo, a South African national, who was intercepted while driving a Toyota Corolla Cross SUV, also reported stolen in Pretoria. The vehicle was recovered following a high-speed chase near Nirvana in Polokwane, with police discovering a tampered tracking device inside.
Authorities say both cases highlight the ongoing crackdown on vehicle smuggling syndicates that target high-end vehicles for illegal export into neighbouring Zimbabwe.
