Police are on the hunt for suspects after Zircon and Chloride minerals, valued at R15 million, were recovered at a Gauteng warehouse. The minerals were stolen from Richards Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast.
National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, said a police task team has been deployed to Richards Bay to prevent, combat and put a stop to the theft of mineral continues to dismantle a syndicate behind a spate of mineral looting.
"The minerals that are mined from Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) were diverted from the Richards Bay Harbour and stored at a warehouse where they were being repackaged to be sold to international buyers," Mathe said in a statement on Saturday.
She explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects would allegedly transport fake minerals to the harbour and divert the original minerals to Gauteng.
"On Wednesday, the team pounced on the warehouse and during a thorough search of the premises found the minerals worth millions. Police have registered a case of theft," Mathe said.
Last month, police also found minerals at a Durban warehouse. The driver of the truck and the owner of the warehouse have since been arrested.
National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola has applauded the work of the task team.
"The team is also investigating the assassination of executives in the area. So far, 202 unlicensed firearms have been seized, 43 suspects have been arrested and 68 dockets are currently under investigation. Our intelligence remains on the ground to put a stop to these illegal activities in the mining sector," he said.
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