Two men in court after being caught with unwrought gold valued at R16m
Schubert, 61, and Du Plessis, 49, appeared in court following their arrest after the Germiston-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit of the Hawks received information about people in a grey BMW travelling from the Free State with the aim of selling the gold in Gauteng.
'The multidisciplinary team spotted the vehicle on the R21 and it was successfully pulled over. Upon searching the vehicle and the occupants, the team discovered a bag containing 80 gold bars weighing 100g each and with an estimated value of R16m,' Hawks spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale said.
The two men could not furnish the officers with documentation for transporting such materials and they were arrested for unlawful possession of unwrought gold and possession of suspected stolen property.
Their matter was remanded to May 22 for a formal bail application. The pair remains in custody.
'The Hawks remain steadfast in their mission to dismantle illegal mining and smuggling networks. Criminals must understand that no-one is beyond the reach of the law,' said Hawks Gauteng head Maj-Gen Ebrahim Kadwa.
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