In an intelligence-led operation, the Provincial Organised
Crime Investigation (OCI) in Gqeberha, supported by the Anti-Gang Unit, recovered
catalytic converters worth over R14 million on Friday, July 9 in
Greenbushes.
According to police spokesperson, Col. Priscilla Naidu, It is alleged that on Wednesday, July 7 at approximately 11:30,
a truck transporting these catalytic converters departed from their
premises in Deal Party. When they were in Forest Hill near the cemetery,
they were pulled over by a Quantum bakkie. “A passenger from the bakkie
approached the driver and his passenger and pointed them with a firearm. The
driver was forced to drive to Harrower Road where he was shoved to the back
seat of the truck. The suspect then drove the truck to an unknown location
where the converters were off-loaded,” Naidu explained.
“The driver and his passenger were dropped off in Booysen Park and
the truck was found abandoned in bushes in Nooitgedacht. The total
value of the converters is R15 million,” she added.
She said that on Friday afternoon, investigators from
Provincial OCI followed up on information received about the possible
storage of the stolen converters. “With support from the AGU, a business
premises in Bloemlaan in Waterkloof, Greenbushes, was penetrated. A
total of ten pallets and four bags of catalytic converters were recovered. They
were positively identified by the owner. It is suspected that all the stolen
converters were recovered. However, a full audit is still to be conducted by the
company.”
Police are following up on further information relating to the
suspects and arrests are imminent.
