Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, has praised the Niani Cross Border Team for its persistent efforts in combating cross-border crime, specifically the smuggling of stolen vehicles into neighboring countries.
The team, which includes Business Against Crime and members of the local farming community, received the commendation following a successful joint operation in the Masisi policing area, located in the Vhembe District.
On Tuesday, 17 February 2026, the multidisciplinary unit retrieved a Toyota Fortuner that had become trapped in the middle of the Limpopo River. After the vehicle was recovered, police verified that it had been reported stolen earlier in February in Witbank, Mpumalanga.
In a separate but related incident, authorities recovered a Nissan Patrol shortly after it had been driven across the border. Preliminary investigations indicate that this vehicle was stolen in Brooklyn, Gauteng, also during February 2026.
Furthermore, the team located a Toyota Quantum that had been abandoned by suspects in Mutale. The vehicle was confirmed to have been reported stolen locally, and police believe it was also destined to be smuggled across the border.
