A 35-year-old “kingpin” was arrested in Pretoria on Wednesday for alleged involvement in a syndicate linked to the theft of fuel from the Transnet pipeline and damage to essential infrastructure.
A multidisciplinary team led by the Free State Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation team carried out the arrest, together with Bidvest Protea Coin Security and the Gauteng traffic department saturation unit.
This follows the arrest of two other suspects on Saturday for the theft of fuel and tampering with the Transnet national pipeline in Vrede, Free State. The two suspects were arrested after allegedly delivering the stolen fuel in Kromdraai, Witbank.
The alleged kingpin is expected to appear in the Witbank magistrate’s court on Thursday and will later appear in Vrede with the other suspects.
“Almost 8.5-million litres of fuel, valued at about R102m, has been stolen from national Transnet pipes in the last year,” the Hawks said.
The Hawks said the latest arrests bring to 49 the number of suspects arrested to date in connection with fuel theft.
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Suspected Transnet fuel syndicate kingpin arrested in Pretoria
A 35-year-old “kingpin” was arrested in Pretoria on Wednesday for alleged involvement in a syndicate linked to the theft of fuel from the Transnet pipeline and damage to essential infrastructure.
A multidisciplinary team led by the Free State Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation team carried out the arrest, together with Bidvest Protea Coin Security and the Gauteng traffic department saturation unit.
This follows the arrest of two other suspects on Saturday for the theft of fuel and tampering with the Transnet national pipeline in Vrede, Free State. The two suspects were arrested after allegedly delivering the stolen fuel in Kromdraai, Witbank.
The alleged kingpin is expected to appear in the Witbank magistrate’s court on Thursday and will later appear in Vrede with the other suspects.
“Almost 8.5-million litres of fuel, valued at about R102m, has been stolen from national Transnet pipes in the last year,” the Hawks said.
The Hawks said the latest arrests bring to 49 the number of suspects arrested to date in connection with fuel theft.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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