The South African Police Service in Limpopo has recovered three stolen vehicles believed to be destined for cross-border smuggling syndicates. The operation highlights the ongoing battle to stop criminals moving stolen cars out of the country through remote river crossings.

Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe praised the Niani Cross Border Team — a partnership between police, farmers, and Business Against Crime — for intercepting the vehicles near the border with neighbouring countries.

The commendation follows a joint operation on 17 February in the Masisi policing area in the Vhembe District. Officers retrieved a Toyota Fortuner stranded in the middle of the Limpopo River. The route is frequently used by smugglers to move stolen vehicles out of South Africa.

Police said the vehicle had been stolen earlier this month in Witbank.

In a separate incident, authorities recovered a Nissan Patrol shortly after it crossed the border. Preliminary investigations showed it had been reported stolen in Brooklyn earlier this month.

A third vehicle, a Toyota Quantum, was found abandoned in Mutale. Police believe it had also been prepared for smuggling.

The cross-border team works alongside the South African National Defence Force, the Border Management Authority, and community patrol structures. Their goal is to monitor illegal crossings and intercept stolen property.

Hadebe said the partnership has become one of the police’s most effective tools against organised crime along the border.

“The team continues to demonstrate exceptional commitment to safeguarding our borders,” she said. “Their partnership with law enforcement serves as a powerful force multiplier and significantly disrupts vehicle smuggling syndicates.”

Vehicle theft syndicates often transport high-value vehicles to remote rural areas. They then drive or tow them across rivers into neighbouring countries, where recovery becomes difficult.

Police said investigations into the recovered vehicles are ongoing. No arrests have been made.

Authorities have urged the public to report suspicious activity near border areas. They warned that organised crime networks continue to exploit isolated terrain to move stolen vehicles out of the country.