A man was arrested after the police intercepted a vehicle transporting suspected stolen meat during a routine traffic patrol on the Western Bypass Road (B1) in Windhoek on Friday.
Confirming the incident, police head of community affairs in the Khomas region chief inspector Katrina Naukushu says the arrest followed a successful police operation in the Hochland Park area.
“Traffic officers were on patrol when they came across a vehicle transporting meat. Two other vehicles were escorting this vehicle, but when they realised that the police were present, they fled the scene,” she says.
Naukushu says only the driver of the intercepted vehicle was arrested, while two other vehicles managed to escape.
She says preliminary investigations indicate that the meat is suspected to have originated from stolen cattle. The meat was unskinned and still bore visible brand marks, which will assist investigators in tracing its origin, Naukushu says.
“The investigators will establish who the owner of the cattle is. We are already in contact with our counterparts in other regions to determine where the cattle may have come from,” she says.
Once the rightful owner is identified, the meat will be returned.
Stock theft remains one of the most prevalent crimes affecting livestock farmers in Namibia, particularly cattle farmers.
Addressing measures taken by the police to combat stock theft, Naukushu says law enforcement continues to work closely with farming communities through crime prevention forums.
“We are in contact with farmers. We work with farmers’ associations, Farmers Against Crime, and neighbourhood watches.”
However, she acknowledged that police resources are limited.
“The police cannot be everywhere, which is why the community must work with the police so that we can prevent crime.”
Investigations into the matter continue.
