DURBAN - Seven suspects were arrested after they were found in possession of suspected stolen Transnet railway tracks in Camperdown outside Pietermaritzburg this morning.
The men were apprehended during a joint operation which included Magma Security & Investigations, Camperdown SAPS and the Hawks in Pietermaritzburg.
Shaheen Suleiman, the owner of Magma Security & Investigations, said they received information at about 4.30am about three vehicles carrying suspected stolen railway tracks believed to be the property of Transnet.
Suleiman said the vehicles were travelling from the Richmond area to Durban via Umlaas Road. He said Magma Security members immediately responded and spotted the three vehicles approaching the Umlaas Road intersection.
“The members managed to stop two vehicles. There were two occupants in each vehicle. In both vehicles members spotted cut-up railway tracks,” he said.
Suleiman said the suspects were immediately detained.
He said the third vehicle disappeared on the N3 towards Durban, however minutes later it was intercepted by Magma members.
“This vehicle was also loaded with cut-up pieces of railway tracks and gas bottles. There were three suspects arrested in this vehicle,”said Suleiman.
He said the Camperdown SAPS, PMB Hawks and Transnet investigators were contacted.
“All seven suspects and three vehicles were handed over to SAPS. The members further assisted SAPS to escort the suspects to Camperdown SAPS where they were detained,’ he said.
He said three bakkies, eight cellphones, four gas bottles and a blowtorch were recovered.
Suleiman said the replacement value of the railway tracks was around R1 million.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala confirmed that seven suspects, aged between 30 and 35, were arrested this morning after they were found in possession of suspected stolen property.
“They are detained at Camperdown police station and will appear in court tomorrow,” she said.
THE MERCURY