Driver's failure to explain huge cash stash lands him behind bars

A 52-year-old man found himself behind bars after being unable to explain how  R600,000 ended up being stashed in his car.

The man was stopped during a routine car search at the Stockport port of entry in the Tom Burke policing area outside Lephalale at the weekend, said Limpopo police spokesperson Col Moatshe Ngoepe.

"The money was hidden inside the car he was driving," said Ngoepe, declining to disclose exactly where the cash had been stashed.

"The cash was undeclared by the driver and it was seized. The driver was immediately arrested for money laundering," said Ngoepe.

He was one of 16 people arrested in weekend operations around the Lephalale, Mokopane, Driekop and Hoedspruit areas.

Other suspects were arrested in connection with a recent business robbery and being found with copper cables worth R100,000 and R70,000.

Six people who were allegedly on their way to poach animals were also arrested.

"The six suspects aged between 28 and 53 were arrested for illegal possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition," said Ngoepe.

"This arrest was done after the police followed up a tip-off from members of the community about planned poaching in the area.

"The suspects were intercepted and arrested during a stop and search operation after two suspicious motor vehicles - a Mercedes Benz and Toyota Hilux - were pulled off the road along the R527 next to Hoedspruit snake park. One rifle with 29 rounds of ammunition and a silencer were recovered, hidden inside one of these vehicles," Ngoepe added.

The suspects were from the Badplaas and Kanyamazane areas in Mpumalanga.