Cigarette deal goes up in smoke

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Police have intercepted a consignment of export quality cigarettes worth US$10 400 which were being smuggled out of the country through an illegal crossing point along the Limpopo River. The officer commanding Beitbridge district, Chief Superintendent Lawrence Chinhengo, said the police had arrested Barry Siziba (31) of Dulibadzimu suburb on Monday morning in connection with the smuggling of 104 boxes of assorted cigarettes.

He said they had also impounded two vehicles – a Toyota Toyoace truck and a Toyota minibus – which were being used to convey the contraband.

“The suspects were intercepted by the Ferret Squad on patrol at Musetshe area.
“They were travelling in two vehicles with the truck carrying 90 boxes of Servilles while the minibus was loaded with 14 boxes of Remmington Gold cigarettes destined for South Africa,” he said.

Chief Supt Chinhengo said the driver of the minibus took to his heels when the two vehicles were stopped by police and was still at large.
He said they had since charged Siziba with smuggling and that both his vehicles and the cigarettes were seized by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.

“We are still pursuing the other suspect. We want to warn other criminals who are involved in similar activities that they will be arrested. We have intensified patrols and we will not tolerate lawlessness along the boundary line,” he said.
Siziba was yesterday fined US$750 by magistrate Mr Innocent Bepura.

In default of payment the accused risks imprisonment for 12 months.
The smuggling of cigarettes has been on the increase especially to countries that are outside Southern African Customs Union because they are levied high amounts on excise duty as compared to the union members which are Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.

Reports also indicate that these cigarettes are repackaged in South Africa before being exported to Asia and other European countries.
A box of export quality cigarettes is sold for between US$100 and US$114 on the official market in the country. Dealers sell a box for a street value of R1 500 on the black market and for R6 000 on the South African illegal market (especially Cape Town).