Cape Town - The Public Order Police Unit officers arrested five suspects at a shack in the Isiqalo informal settlement, near Philippi, after a truck was hijacked in Bellville.
It is believed the suspects abandoned the truck along Spine Road, near Blue Downs. The arrests on Wednesday also led to the discovery of a dagga laboratory in Philippi.
According to a police report, members attached to the unit noticed an abandoned truck while conducting a crime-prevention patrol along Spine Road early on Wednesday morning.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the Scania truck, that belongs to a logistics company in Bellville, was hijacked the previous evening, along with its load of alcohol, printers and fruit juice.
Police spokesperson Malcom Pojie said following the discovery, the team pursued further information which led them to Pacific, Isiqalo, an informal settlement in Philippi where they managed to recover some of the stolen cargo and arrested five suspects between the ages of 35 and 52 for being in possession of the stolen goods with an estimated value of R5 million.
The suspects are scheduled to make their first court appearance on charges related to the hijacking of the truck and the possession of presumed stolen property.
Meanwhile, in close proximity, when the same team was busy searching for more of the stolen merchandise they discovered a hydroponic dagga laboratory.
At the lab, the unit confiscated a substantial quantity of dagga products and dagga cultivating equipment with an estimated value of R2.6m.
Two men, aged 30 and 45, and a 27-year-old woman were arrested for the illegal cultivation of and dealing in dagga.
The trio will make their first court appearances once they have been charged.
siviwe.melapi@inl.co.za