Hawks secure court order for vehicle used to ferry R6m drugs
THE Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority's Asset Forfeiture Unit scored a major victory when they were granted a preservation order for a vehicle they seized in a multi-million drug bust near Strand.
Hawks spokesperson Siyabulela Vukubi said the Hyundai H1 which was estimated to be valued at R138 600.00 was seized as it was used as an instrumentality.
'This was after members of the Hawks' South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau(SANEB) acted on intelligence received on 23 August 2024, regarding a Hyundai H1 that was transporting drugs from Gauteng to Cape Town. The vehicle was spotted on the N2 near Strand towards Cape Town. Upon search, 71 000 mandrax tablets and 14 bricks of cocaine weighing 14kg were found concealed in panels of the vehicle,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Life sentences for three men convicted of murdering a Limpopo farm owner
Three men will each serve a life term behind bars for the murder of a Limpopo farm owner in 2022. Image: File The gavel of justice fell for three murderers, despite their attempts to maintain their innocence during trial proceedings. Each will serve a life imprisonment term after being sentenced at the Polokwane High Court this week. The trio, in their criminal deed, handcuffed a minor boy and held him at gunpoint while they ransacked a farmhouse before the farm owner and his partner entered the house and disrupted their act. However, the farm owner was shot and killed after an altercation ensued. The men from Limpopo - Malesela Albert Mangena, 35, of Mabotja Extension 45, Velly Segwale, 35, and Lesiba Solly Segwale, 45, of Mmotong Mokgokong village - faced multiple criminal charges, and the court ordered that their various sentences run concurrently with their life terms. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, confirmed they were convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of unlicensed ammunition. All three pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court further declared the accused unfit to possess firearms under the Firearms Control Act of South Africa. 'The court heard that on 7 October 2022, the trio conspired to commit a robbery at Derdekraal Farm. Upon arrival, they entered the house and held a 15-year-old boy at gunpoint, demanding money and the safe keys. They handcuffed the boy and began looting valuable items. 'When the farm owner, Nicolaas Johannes Janse van Rensburg, and his partner arrived, the accused ordered them to sit down. An altercation ensued, during which Van Rensburg was shot and killed. The accused fled the scene but were later arrested following a thorough police investigation and remained in custody until the finalisation of their trial,' said Malabi-Dzhangi. In aggravation of sentence, State Advocate Norman Makhubele called two key witnesses. Kobus Delange, representing South African commercial farmers, testified about the critical role farmers play in food security, employment, and the national economy. Delange highlighted the alarming rise in violent attacks on farmers. Taleza van Rensburg, the sister of the deceased, provided emotional testimony on the devastating impact of the murder on the family and farmworkers. She noted that livestock had to be sold due to safety concerns, resulting in job losses and the eventual closure of the farm.
The Herald
4 hours ago
- The Herald
Soldiers arrested for murder of Hawks officer Frans Mathipa facing three counts of murder
The 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members accused of killing Hawks officer Lt-Col Frans Mathipa are facing three counts of murder. They are also facing several other charges, including two counts of kidnapping, making false statements under oath, obstructing the administration of justice, theft and fraud. The 12 soldiers appeared in the Randburg magistrate's court on Monday. The court ordered the media not to publish their names or pictures as an identity parade must still be conducted. The case was postponed to July 1 for a bail application and the soldiers remanded. The court heard that the matter will be transferred to the high court within the Gauteng jurisdiction. On Sunday, the Johannesburg-based Hawks' serious organised crime investigation team arrested two soldiers, aged 36 and 51, linked to the murder of Mathipa. During the operation, police also seized a vehicle belonging to the 36-year-old suspect. The vehicle is alleged to have been used in the kidnapping of two male foreign nationals at a mall in Midrand on December 29 2022. On Monday, 10 more soldiers were arrested after they handed themselves over to the Hawks investigating officers in Johannesburg. Mathipa was fatally shot while driving on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal on August 6 2023. After being shot his vehicle veered out of control and landed in a ditch. Mathipa, who was attached to the Hawks' crimes against the state section within the serious organised crime investigation unit in Gauteng, was on duty conducting an investigation at the time of his death. The Sunday Times reported he had been investigating the abduction of alleged Isis leader Abdella Abadiga from the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg and was looking into suspicions that South African military special forces were involved. Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Christopher Singo said the accused are also linked to a case involving the kidnapping of two foreign nationals in December 2022. 'At this moment, we cannot reveal their identity as per the court instructions. An identity parade has to be conducted. Their names and identities will only be revealed after we are done with the identity parade,' he said. He added that Mathipa was responsible for investigating high-profile cases. 'Some of those cases involved the accused who are appearing in court, but I cannot get into the details of those cases.' TimesLIVE
IOL News
6 hours ago
- IOL News
Hawks secure court order for vehicle used to ferry R6m drugs
THE Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority's Asset Forfeiture Unit scored a major victory when they were granted a preservation order for a vehicle they seized in a multi-million drug bust near Strand. Hawks spokesperson Siyabulela Vukubi said the Hyundai H1 which was estimated to be valued at R138 600.00 was seized as it was used as an instrumentality. 'This was after members of the Hawks' South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau(SANEB) acted on intelligence received on 23 August 2024, regarding a Hyundai H1 that was transporting drugs from Gauteng to Cape Town. The vehicle was spotted on the N2 near Strand towards Cape Town. Upon search, 71 000 mandrax tablets and 14 bricks of cocaine weighing 14kg were found concealed in panels of the vehicle,' he said.
