Transnet fuel syndicate: Six Mozambicans among suspects arrested so far – SA police

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Transnet fuel syndicate: Six Mozambicans among suspects arrested so far – SA police

3:57 CAT | 21 Oct 2022

The home of the alleged kingpin arrested by the South Africa police. [Image: SAPS on Twitter]

At least six Mozambicans have been arrested in South Africa for alleged involvement in a fuel theft syndicate which allegedly stole around 8.5 million litres of fuel from state-owned Transnet in the last 12 months, a South African police source revealed yesterday.

A spokesperson for the ‘Hawks’ special criminal investigation unit, Philani Nkwalase, said that one of the suspects was arrested last Saturday in possession of 8,000 litres of stolen fuel, valued at more than R221,000 (€12,341).

The 41-year-old suspect was arrested along with a 35-year-old South African man during the delivery of the stolen fuel to Kromdraai, Witbank, about 140 kilometres east of Johannesburg, and charged in court with theft of fuel and tampering with the Transnet pipeline in Vrede, Free State province, Nkwalase said.

The police spokesman told Lusa that five other undocumented Mozambicans, including a woman, were arrested on Wednesday at the residence of the alleged syndicate kingpin in Kromdraai.

The police operation netted a 35-year-old individual of South African nationality, whose identity was not revealed, the alleged mastermind behind the theft of fuel and damage to strategic infrastructure, the spokesman explained.

Fueltheft.saps_ — *Arrest of alleged kingpin involved in Transnet fuel theft. [Photo: SAPS/Twitter]*

“Almost 8.5 million litres of fuel, valued at approximately R102 million , has been stolen from national Transnet pipes in the last year,,” Nkwalase said.

“In the last three months alone, 46 people were arrested for alleged involvement in the fuel theft network in various provinces, with Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State being the most significant,” he added.