Three suspects (one woman and two males) were, in the early hours of this morning, Wednesday 12 January 2022 at about 00:58, arrested by the police at Beitbridge Border Post for allegedly being in possession of commercial explosives.
The Police were called by members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) after they came across the three suspects near the SANDF Support Base, crossing the borderline from Zimbabwe to South Africa carrying a backpack and two luggage bags.
The suspects aged between 31 and 33 were arrested and taken to Musina Police station where their luggage was searched and commercial explosives discovered.
Members of the Musina Explosives Unit were summoned and subsequently identified the explosives as follows:
* Six (06) x Reels of Detonating cord, orange in colour without any branding.
* Fifty (50) x Units of connector capped fuses, green in colour branded Famesa Carmex.
* Sixty-five (65) x Units of Blasting Cartridges branded Superpower 90 emulsion explosives, Solar Explochem Zambia Limited.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has hailed the splendid work that was executed by the Police in collaboration with members of the SANDF for stopping the suspects in their tracks while smuggling explosives.
“Explosives of this nature were in the past found to have been used in ATM bombings at some places in the Province and the arrest of these suspects will potentially assist the police in curbing this crime,” said Lieutenant General Hadebe.
The three suspects are expected to appear in Musina magistrate court soon facing charges of unlawful possession and smuggling of explosives.
Three suspects apprehend at Beitbridge Border Post for allegedly smuggling explosives https://t.co/IrnKcfWg0B #ArriveAlive #Smuggling #Explosives @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/PQCL4WrknX
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) January 13, 2022