Vincente Sebastiao “Deco” Khoza, a 33-year-old man, has faced the Modjadjiskloof Periodical Court following his arrest by the Hawks (Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation) based in Musina.
Khoza was apprehended by members of the Hawks’ serious organized crime investigation division for the alleged possession of a stolen vehicle. The arrest is part of the ongoing efforts by the Hawks to address the smuggling of suspected stolen vehicles from South Africa into neighboring countries through the Beitbridge port of entry.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Matimba Maluleke, spokesperson for the Hawks in Limpopo, the arrest resulted from an incident in September 2023 when Modjadjiskloof police engaged in a stop-and-search operation. The police attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle, a Toyota Hilux GD6 bakkie, which led to a high-speed pursuit. The driver abandoned the vehicle near Mooketsi on the R81 Road.
Subsequent investigations revealed that the Toyota Hilux GD6 bakkie was reported stolen in Brooklyn, Gauteng, in 2023. The Hawks’ meticulous probe linked the accused, Khoza, to the syndicate responsible for smuggling stolen vehicles. Khoza was arrested at Soshanguve Magistrate’s Court, where he faced charges related to the possession of a vehicle jamming device.
It is alleged that the recovered stolen vehicle was intended to be smuggled to Zimbabwe through the Beitbridge port of entry. Khoza’s case was rolled over to the next day for further investigation when he appeared in court on Tuesday.
This incident follows a similar case last year in which a 35-year-old South African man was convicted and sentenced for attempting to smuggle a stolen vehicle to Zimbabwe. Shane Mthombeni received a six-year direct imprisonment term without the option of paying a fine. Mthombeni was intercepted by police while driving a stolen silver Toyota Fortuner at Nyl Toll Plaza along the N1 Highway.