Car chase like 'relay race'

2004-03-21 17:42

Johannesburg - A Lesotho teenager was arrested in Johannesburg on Sunday after police found 23 bags of dagga in the vehicle he was driving, Vaal Rand police reported.

Captain Shado Mabopane said the man driving a bakkie was arrested at 07:30 in Vanderbijlpark by the Vaal Rand flying squad.

The flying squad were called up by the Sasolburg police who had been chasing a Toyota Conquest in response from a call from the Heilbron police.

"It was a kind of relay race," said Mabopane. Heilbron police could not catch the Conquest and called in the Sasolburg police who in the end contacted the Vaal Rand police.

The flying squad apprehended the bakkie instead - the Conquest had apparently been used as a scout car, driving ahead of the bakkie to check for road blocks.

"The flying squad arrested a Toyota Hilux bakkie. This bakkie was loaded with 23 bags with a street value of over R90 000," Mabopane said.

The driver said he was en route from Lesotho to Pietersburg.

- SAPA