On 4 March 2022, at 09:00, police officers from the Provincial Investigation Unit assisted by the Ethekwini District Task Team and a private security company proceeded to a warehouse on Quality Street in Jacobs, Durban.
The team was following up on bags of cobalt hydroxide that were stolen in Gauteng.
Police pounced on the premises to execute a search warrant. Upon searching the warehouse police found a total of 48 bags of cobalt hydroxide that were hidden. The bags were stolen from a warehouse on Prelude Avenue in Gauteng.
Each bag weighed 736kg. Police arrived at the premises and seized the product which was destined to be shipped overseas on 5 March 2022.
The recovered bags which are valued at R6, 5 million was positively identified by the lawful owner. It is alleged that on 6 January 2022, 48 bags were stolen while they were held at a warehouse in Gauteng.
The stolen property was transported to Durban on 31 January 2022. A case of theft was registered at a police station in Gauteng. The recovered cobalt hydroxide is a powdery green substance that is used as a drying agent for paints, varnishes, inks and is also used as a catalyst in the manufacture of battery electrodes.
Police are still searching for the suspects.
