Stolen SA Toyota Hilux Intercepted By ZRP At Festive Roadblock

Zimbabwe Police Intercept Toyota Hilux Raider Stolen From South Africa

Zimbabwean police have intercepted a Toyota Hilux Raider stolen from Pretoria, South Africa. The vehicle was being towed on a wrecker towards Harare when officers made the dramatic festive season arrest.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police announced the bust in a statement on 30 December 2025. The arrest occurred a day earlier, on 29 December, at a security roadblock on the Harare-Masvingo Road near Featherstone. Two men, Lucky Dube (39) and Tapiwa Dube (45), were taken into custody.

A Festive Season Roadblock Bust

Police stated the vehicle was discovered while it was being transported by a recovery truck from the Beitbridge border post to the capital. Chief Superintendent Mesuli Ncube, the police officer commanding Beitbridge district, has previously highlighted the issue of vehicle smuggling via illegal crossing points. He recently commented on a separate case, stating:

“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 were on going”.

In the latest incident, preliminary police investigations quickly uncovered discrepancies. The police post revealed:

“Preliminary investigations by the Police revealed that the Toyota Hilux Raider vehicle had been stolen in Pretoria, South Africa and was fitted with fake vehicle and radio licences, while the number plates affixed to it were found to belong to a different motor vehicle.”

A Pattern Of Cross-Border Vehicle Theft

This interception is not an isolated event. It follows the September 2025 arrest of two men by the National Anti-Smuggling Task Force in Beitbridge. In that case, a Toyota Lexus LX570 worth thousands of US dollars was recovered. Authorities at the time indicated that such stolen vehicles, often taken from rental companies in South Africa, are smuggled into Zimbabwe for markets in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Some also enter the local Zimbabwean used car market.

The financial impact is significant. The government loses substantial import revenue, potentially millions of US dollars annually, due to this illicit trade. The recent arrest of the Dube duo demonstrates ongoing efforts to clamp down on these syndicates, especially during busy periods like the festive season when roadblocks are intensified.