Seven South African and two Zimbabwean citizens were arrested on Sunday when they were caught in possession of two trucks and a bakkie full of suspected stolen coal in Ermelo.
Col. Donald Mdhluli, police spokesperson, says the police in Mpumalanga spent some time gathering information and watching the suspects before they finally struck early on Sunday morning.
Two trucks and one bakkie were stopped and searched between 04:40 and 05:30 on the Goldview dirt road near Ermelo. The vehicles were fully loaded with coal.
“The occupants could not provide proof of purchase and were consequently arrested for possession of suspected stolen coal,” says Mdhluli.
The police also confiscated the trucks and the van.
The seven South Africans with ages ranging from 22 to 44, and the two Zimbabweans, both 41 years old, are expected to appear in the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Mdhluli says additional charges relating to the breach of the Immigration Act have been brought against the foreign nationals as they do not have valid documentation.
