Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
Security agents from South Africa and Zimbabwe are continuing with their fight against the smuggling of cigarettes between the two countries which is threatening revenue collection by authorities.
In the latest incident , police in Limpopo on Sunday intercepted a 40 year old migrant with contraband smuggled from Zimbabwe in the Mopani policing area.
The suspect whose nationality is yet to be revealed is believed to be part of the many tobacco products dealing rackets operating in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Malasela Ledwaba said the police have redoubled efforts to contain the crime that has become perennial.
“A 40-year-old male foreign national suspect will make his appearance before Hlanganai Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of possession of illicit cigarettes.On Sunday 06 July 2025 during the day, members of the Mopani task team were busy executing their duties when they pounced on a foreign national shopkeeper (tuckshop) in Nkuzana village hlanganani who was suspected of selling illegal cigarettes,” said Col Ledwaba.
“The members conducted a search of the premises. During the search, boxes of illicit cigarettes were confiscated to the street value of R13, 700.00. The suspect was immediately placed under arrest for possession of illegal cigarettes”.
It is understood that 30 percent of cigarettes in South Africa are from Zimbabwe including Pacific, Remington gold, Mega, Dullahs, Branson and Servilles.
The Herald is reliably informed that, it is also difficult for Zimbabweans to export cigarettes to South Africa because of the high excise duty rates in that country (on tobacco or cigarettes).
