Cops crack down on car smuggling to Mozambique

2010-11-23 22:08

Durban - National police commissioner General Bheki Cele on Tuesday commended police and the SA National Defence Force for successfully sealing off routes used by hijacking syndicates to smuggle cars into Mozambique.

"The relationship (between SAPS and SANDF) is working well and we have seen a drop in vehicle related crime along this area," said Cele.

The relationship that the police had with Mozambique resulted in the effective fighting of cross-border crimes, he said.

Cele and other top police brass were visiting the Kosi Bay border-line, used to smuggle luxury stolen vehicles into Mozambique between 2000 and 2005.

Most of the vehicles smuggled to Mozambique were stolen in Gauteng, Durban, Empangeni and Kosi Bay.

Cele said he was happy there was a drop in car related crime, saying efforts to combat illegal border crossing was being stepped up.

Cele's spokesperson, Nonkuleko Mbatha, said other senior police managers on Tuesday visited various areas to assess the levels of service delivery in the province.

"Provincial commissioners from the nine provinces are in KwaZulu-Natal to attend a meeting of the National Management Forum," she said.

All areas in the province were covered to get a sense of the levels of policing, she said.

"Cele has identified certain challenges such as lack of accommodation, resources and personnel which will receive immediate attention," she said.

Mbatha said challenges identified during visits would enable management to plan proactively.

"These visits ultimately enable us to assess the levels of service delivery and ensure accountability within the SAPS."

- SAPA