KwaZulu-Natal police are still searching for three men after they arrested an alleged mastermind, suspected of being behind the smuggling of stolen vehicles from South Africa to Mozambique, last Saturday. 

Police found the 37-year-old man allegedly driving a stolen vehicle at Gazini, in the Manguzi area, heading to Mozambique.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said the vehicle was linked to a house robbery that happened in Mbazwana. 

Zwane said three other men who were travelling with the suspect fled the scene.

"The three men who were with the suspect, managed to flee on foot and our officers then arrested the suspect. We hope that his arrest will reduce the smuggling of stolen vehicles from our province to Mozambique," he said.

The man appeared in the Obonjeni Magistrate's Court on Thursday. He is expected back in court on Monday for his formal bail application.

Zwane said that more police had been deployed to the area, which neighbours Mozambique, following a series of complaints regarding stolen vehicles that have been taken to Mozambique.

"We deployed more officers to the area to curb the offences. We received many complaints from people claiming that their vehicles were hijacked or stolen during house robberies. The vehicles were then taken to Mozambique without trace.

"Since the deployment of our officers in the area, they have yielded positive results. Several people have been arrested," he said.