A ZIMBABWEAN and a Lesotho national have been arrested in South Africa for attempting to smuggle locally-made cigarettes worth R1 million into that country.
They were arrested along South Africa’s R521 Highway in the Capricorn district of Limpopo province, where a combined team of security departments confiscated a haulage truck carrying the contraband.
Two cars escorting the truck drove in different directions to evade arrest.
Police discovered that the truck was loaded with 273 boxes of Zimbabwe-produced Remington Gold cigarettes with a street value of R1,5 million.
“A joint operation that was executed in the Capricorn district by the members of the Limpopo Tracking Team, Capricorn Flying Squad and Olivier Anti-Corruption Unit led to the arrest of two illegal immigrants and confiscation of illicit cigarettes worth more than one million rand on Tuesday September 5, 2023,” South Africa Police Services spokesperson for Limpopo province, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, said in a statement.
“The members of the Crime Intelligence Unit provided information about a truck which was escorted by heavily armed suspects who were driving two bakkies that were heading towards Polokwane direction and commenced the manhunt of the suspects.”
The convoy was spotted driving along the R521 Dendron public road and the two pick-up trucks escorting the truck immediately drove in different directions to escape arrest while the Hino truck with two occupants was stopped and searched.
The two were immediately arrested and are expected to appear at the Mogwadi Magistrate Court soon to face charges of contravening South Africa’s Immigration Act, as well as dealing in and possession of illicit cigarettes.
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