Stolen cattle have been returned across borders to farmers in South Africa and Lesotho after they were picked up by a well-executed trilateral anti-crime operation.
Operation Maluti saw officials from Lesotho link up with South Africans from the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State to recover livestock valued at about R150000 from rustlers.
Unroadworthy vehicles also yielded R30000 in fines.
Eastern Cape police spokesman Lieutenant Khaya Tonjeni said a number of operations were carried out between March 16 and 23.
He said 16 head of cattle, valued at about R144000 were recovered and repatriated to Lesotho.
Four goats valued at about R4000, three sheep valued at R3000 and one horse valued at R3000 were impounded in the Matatiele pound where owners from South Africa and Lesotho argued about who really owned them.
Tonjeni said the operation was carried out by the SA Police Services, the South African National Defence Force, National Intelligence Agency and Home Affairs.
The combined force was combating cross-border crimes like stock theft, drug and gun smuggling, cross-border hopping and vehicle theft.
“A decision to have this operation was taken after a steady increase in reported cases of transnational border crime like stock theft, smuggling of firearms, stolen vehicles and drugs was noticed,” he said.
The second operation from Monday to Wednesday focused on the south of the Eastern Cape and was held together with state agencies in the Western Cape and Northern Cape and emphasised increased police presence on major roads in the Humansdorp, Graaff-Reinet, Cradock and Aliwal North clusters.
“A total of 770 vehicles were stopped and checked for roadworthy status, driving without licences and other related offences between 4am and 10am. A total of 660 people were searched for drugs and dangerous weapons,” he said.
Tonjeni said on Wednesday, 749 vehicles were stopped and 1044 people searched.
Fines to the value of R28550 were issued. A 9mm pistol was recovered on a bus, but no one was arrested.
A trailer was confiscated, he added. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Police, army recover stolen cattle in joint SA-Lesotho raids
Operation Maluti saw officials from Lesotho link up with South Africans from the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State to recover livestock valued at about R150000 from rustlers.
Unroadworthy vehicles also yielded R30000 in fines.
Eastern Cape police spokesman Lieutenant Khaya Tonjeni said a number of operations were carried out between March 16 and 23.
He said 16 head of cattle, valued at about R144000 were recovered and repatriated to Lesotho.
Four goats valued at about R4000, three sheep valued at R3000 and one horse valued at R3000 were impounded in the Matatiele pound where owners from South Africa and Lesotho argued about who really owned them.
Tonjeni said the operation was carried out by the SA Police Services, the South African National Defence Force, National Intelligence Agency and Home Affairs.
The combined force was combating cross-border crimes like stock theft, drug and gun smuggling, cross-border hopping and vehicle theft.
“A decision to have this operation was taken after a steady increase in reported cases of transnational border crime like stock theft, smuggling of firearms, stolen vehicles and drugs was noticed,” he said.
The second operation from Monday to Wednesday focused on the south of the Eastern Cape and was held together with state agencies in the Western Cape and Northern Cape and emphasised increased police presence on major roads in the Humansdorp, Graaff-Reinet, Cradock and Aliwal North clusters.
“A total of 770 vehicles were stopped and checked for roadworthy status, driving without licences and other related offences between 4am and 10am. A total of 660 people were searched for drugs and dangerous weapons,” he said.
Tonjeni said on Wednesday, 749 vehicles were stopped and 1044 people searched.
Fines to the value of R28550 were issued. A 9mm pistol was recovered on a bus, but no one was arrested.
A trailer was confiscated, he added. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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