Stolen Lexus smuggled from South Africa intercepted

The National Anti-Smuggling Task Force on Wednesday intercepted a stolen luxury vehicle that had been smuggled into Zimbabwe through an illegal crossing point along the Limpopo River.

The Toyota Lexus LX570, worth thousands of dollars, had been reported stolen in South Africa. Police confirmed that two suspects believed to be part of a regional vehicle smuggling syndicate were arrested in connection with the incident.

Chief Superintendent Mesuli Ncube, the officer commanding Beitbridge district, said the interception took place just before midnight at the Bubi roadblock.

"The vehicle was reported stolen from South Africa. It was intercepted at the Bubi roadblock and the suspects will soon appear in court," he said. "Indications are that it was smuggled into the country through an illegal crossing point along the Limpopo River. Further investigations on the matter and the vehicle's final destination are ongoing."

Authorities believe the syndicate is part of a wider criminal network that steals vehicles in South Africa and smuggles them through Zimbabwe for resale in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Some of the stolen cars are also believed to end up in local car sales yards across Zimbabwe.

The government has raised alarm over the rising trend, warning that rampant vehicle smuggling is costing the country millions of dollars in lost import revenue annually.

The two suspects are expected to appear in court soon, while police continue investigations to establish the full extent of the syndicate's operations.