HAWKS HIT JACKPOT

TWO men were hauled to the hof yesterday after they were found in possession of R16 million worth of gold bars.

Daniel Schubert, 61, and Adriaan du Plessis, 49 were gevang transporting gold bars and appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court in Gauteng on Thursday for possession of suspected stolen property. 

They were also charged with possession of unwrought gold worth R16 million after they were nabbed by the Hawks in a sting while smuggling the goud from the Free State to Gauteng.

The provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks), Colonel Katlego Mogale, said the arrests follow information received by members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team. 

The information was about a grey BMW travelling from the Free State, headed to Gauteng en route to sell the gold. 

Mogale says: “The multi-disciplinary team comprising the Serious Organised Crime of the Hawks, Gauteng SAPS Flying Squad, spotted the identified vehicle on the R21, which was successfully pulled over.  

“Upon searching both the vehicle and the occupants, the team discovered a bag containing eighty 100-gram gold bars with an estimated value of R16 million.”

She said the duo could not give any valid reason as to why they were transporting these resources. 

She adds: “The pair could not furnish the officers with documentation to transport such materials and were subsequently arrested for unlawful possession of unwrought and possession of suspected stolen property.

After their brief appearance in court, the matter was postponed until 22 May for a formal bail application. The court has ordered that the men remain in custody until then.