Cops recover truck hijacked while transporting soup and sanitisers, 8 arrested

Gauteng police have arrested eight people and have recovered a truck, believed to have been hijacked in Midrand last week while transporting soup and hand sanitisers.

According to police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele, police received information that led them to a premises in Lynwood on Tuesday where the truck was recovered.

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Upon arrival at the premises, officers recovered some of the items which were in the truck and this led to the arrest of the eight people, Makhubele said in a statement.

In an unrelated incident in Erasmia, the Tshwane District Trio Crimes and Drug Task Team searched a premises after they received information that counterfeit goods were sold there.

"During the search, police recovered sealed and opened boxes of cigarettes," Makhubele added.

The owner of the premises was arrested and he will be charged with dealing in counterfeit goods.

They will appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court soon.

Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela issued a warning to "those who think that the normal day-to-day police operations are [on] the back burner due to the lockdown to think again".

"Gauteng is not a place to hide in," Makhubele said.