A Zimbabwean woman Linda Katiyo has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for smuggling explosives used in illegal mining.
Katiyo, was handed the sentence in the Musina Regional Court, South Africa on Thursday, Hawks spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke said.
On 28 April 2019, Katiyo, 38, was en route from Zimbabwe to Gauteng, South Africa when she arrived at the Beitbridge checkpoint with a “suspicious-looking bag”, Maluleke said.
“The border police became suspicious and thoroughly searched the bag and found miscellaneous explosives used for illegal mining,” Maluleke said.
The explosives had an estimated value of R1.2 million.
“The Hawks is determined to deal with cross-border crimes, particularly at the ports of entry,” Maluleke added.
The Hawks are South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) which targets organised crime, economic crime, corruption, and other serious crime referred to it by the President or the South African Police Service (SAPS) set up by the Zuma administration in 2008.
The Citizens