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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A SOUTH African national has been fined $2,000 following his arrest at the Plumtree Border Post while trying to smuggle 6,000 bricks of cigarettes out of the country into Botswana.
Ellerbeck Albert Walter, 61, of Boksburg, South Africa, yesterday started serving a six-month jail term after he failed to immediately pay the fine.
He was convicted on his own plea of guilty to smuggling by Plumtree magistrate, Livard Philemon.
Walter was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine or alternatively six months imprisonment in case of default.
The South African’s vehicle and the recovered cigarettes were forfeited to the State.
Prosecuting, Stanley Chinyanganya said Walter was arrested on April 9.
‘’Walter arrived at the Plumtree Border Post at around 8AM coming from Harare on his way to Botswana. He completed all Zimra formalities and pointed out that he did not have any goods to declare.
‘’He was ordered to proceed to the inspection scan with his motor vehicle.
“Authorities then discovered that the vehicle had a secret compartment which had goods hidden inside,’’ said Chinyanganya.
He said authorities found 4,498 bricks of Dullahs cigarettes, 1,000 bricks of Derby cigarettes and 600 bricks of Pacific blue cigarettes all valued at $60,980. His failure to declare the contraband prejudiced the State of $3,049.
Illicit trade in cigarettes accounts for about 30 percent of the total South African cigarette market, according to officials and regional customs experts.
They believe more than R5 billion in tax revenue is lost in sub-Saharan Africa annually due to the complex smuggling network.
Online Reporter