Two Booysens SAPS officers, a captain and constable, as well as a police informer, were arrested in the early hours of November 15 in a sting operation involving a hijacked truck outside Benoni.

The two officers were arrested, together with eight other suspects believed to be Somalians, by a joint anti-crime operation led by the SAPS Ekurhuleni Cluster, comprising of members of the Benoni and Germiston Flying Squad. Police believe the arrest could lead them to the truck hijacking kingpins behind the recent string of hijacking of trucks ferrying food between depots on the N3, N12 and the N17.

According to the police, the suspects were first observed by the Benoni Sector relief team led by Lt Col Thavhiwa at around 4am on Thursday morning near the Snake Road off-ramp on the N12 to Johannesburg. The suspicious-looking vehicles were a horse-and-trailer, a marked SAPS vehicle from the Booysens Police Station, plus two other private sedans.

The police believe the private vehicles, including the police vehicle, were escorting the truck which was carrying groceries. The police called for back-up and continued following the truck at a distance. With the help of back-up, they finally stopped the convoy just before the Jet Park off-ramp in Boksburg North.

After the gang was arrested, two Booysens SAPS officers were searched and an undisclosed amount of cash was found in their possession, including seven rocks of Crystal Meth, which were hidden in the police vehicle.

A search was also conducted on a vehicle driven by a Somali national and members of the Flying Squad found a SAPS radio handset. Questioned about the original truck that was hauling the hijacked cargo trailer, the Somalian told the police that the truck was hired by the suspects to pull the hijacked trailer carrying the stolen goods.

The man informed the police that the original truck and the driver, both still not found, were swopped in Daveyton and the trailer with the hijacked food was then hooked onto the hired truck and was on its way to Johannesburg at the time of their arrest.

No mention was made about the whereabouts of the original truck driver and the missing truck.

In what sounded like a case of collusion between the missing driver and the hijackers, the suspects confessed to the members of the flying squad that a case of ‘hijacking’ would have been reported only once the cargo they were escorting had reached Johannesburg and was safely stored away in warehouses owned by the Somali syndicate.

The suspects were formally arrested and they have been charged with the following crimes:

• Possession of a hijacked truck

• Possession of drugs

• Possession of a dangerous weapon (toy gun)

• Defeating the ends of justice

• Use of a motor vehicle without the consent of the owner

• Possession of presumed hijacked goods

• Conspiracy to commit a crime or extortion

• Kidnapping

The suspects further told the officers that they were promised a payment of R100 000 by members of a Somali syndicate once the cargo was safely delivered at a safe house in Johannesburg.

The police believe the arrest could lead to a breakthrough to uncover the decades’ old puzzle about truck hijackings and their cargo on Gauteng’s N3, N4, N12 and N17 highways.

Capt Masondo, a police spokesperson, confirmed the arrests and alleged involvement of two Booysens SAPS members. He told Kathorus MAIL the case is still under investigation.