Trio arrested for ‘smuggling’ almost 500,000 cigarettes into SA
Three men have been arrested in northern KwaZulu-Natal after they were caught transporting 20,095 packs of cigarettes from Mozambique on Thursday.
Police spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala said an operation was conducted near the Hluhluwe Game Reserve and members stopped three bakkies travelling on the road.
“A search was conducted and 40 boxes, each containing 500 packets of cigarettes, were seized by police. The street value of the recovered cigarettes is estimated at R900,000.”
Gwala said the men, aged between 28 and 54, were arrested.
“A 33-year-old suspect was also charged for being an illegal immigrant. They will appear in court soon facing charges for being in possession of illicit cigarettes.”
“This arrest will send a clear message to others who are contemplating smuggling illicit cigarettes into the province. Operations are in place to combat all forms of criminality in the province,” said the KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula.
Related Posts
More than 45 million illicit cigarettes seized in five days across two states
The Australian Border Force's crackdown in the illicit tobacco market claimed a...
Multi-factor authentication market to reach $5.45 billion by 2017
The two-factor authentication market will touch $5.45 billion by the year 2017,...
The lowdown on fake wheels
Fake, according to the Webster dictionary, is something that is not genuine, a...
EFCC to partner Customs against tobacco smuggling
CHAIRMAN of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde,...