A sophisticated crime syndicate has been unearthed in which multi-million dollar copper concentrates destined for the international market is being exchanged with sand
Quick action by a C5 crack Police squad in Lusaka averted an attempt by the criminals to hijack a truck belonging to WHM transporters laden with 34 tonnes of copper concentrates.
WHM Transporters Spokesperson ANDREW CHILESHE says the company noticed an irregular route pattern of their truck through their GPS tracking system which showed that it was parked in Lusaka’s Kabangwe area in an isolated Truck yard.
Mr. CHILESHE says he immediately contacted Police who raided the yard and found people offloading the copper concentrates and repackaging it into smaller 50 kilograms sacks.
He says the Police also found the suspects loading sand into the two tonne-bags replacing the copper concentrates and loading it back onto the WHM truck.
The driver of the WHM truck and the owner of the yard who were found supervising the reloading of the concentrate have since been arrested and are in police custody helping with investigations.
Another suspect connected to the crime is on the run in Ndola.
A check at the premises by ZNBC News which is a few metres from the Kabangwe police check point found armed police officers guarding the copper.
And police Spokesperson RAE HAMOONGA says police are investigating the case.
