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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
South African authorities have, in their latest crackdown on smuggling syndicates operating between that country and Zimbabwe, intercepted a vehicle loaded with cigarettes worth nearly R500 000.
The cigarettes had been smuggled from Zimbabwe on Tuesday and one immigrant whose identity will be revealed soon has since been arrested.
South Africa’s Limpopo police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Malasela Ledwaba confirmed the latest development, saying the police were firm on the ground.
“The recent efforts of members of the Vhembe District Cross Border and Trio Task Teams in Limpopo have yielded success in combating the smuggling of illicit cigarettes,” he said.
“This follows the arrest of a 40-year-old foreign national suspect who was found in possession of illicit cigarettes worth approximately R497000 on Tuesday at about 7pm.”
Lt Col Ledwaba said some police officers patrolling along the R525 road from Tshipise to N1 Baobab Tollgate noticed a suspicious white Ford Ranger motor vehicle driving at a high speed.
They then gave chase and subsequently cornered the suspect.
The vehicle was thoroughly searched and 760 cartons and 4 boxes of illicit cigarettes with the estimated value of R497000 were discovered inside the car, and the contraband and the vehicle have been seized as evidence and probable confiscation after the trial.
“The suspect is due to appear in the Musina Magistrate’s Court soon on a charge of possession of illicit cigarettes. Police investigations continue,” said Lt Col Ledwaba.
The smuggling of cigarettes from Zimbabwe into South Africa through illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River is rife.
Cigarettes are a lot cheaper in Zimbabwe, even after excise duties have been paid, than in South Africa. This makes it possible for smugglers to legally buy taxed cigarettes in Zimbabwe, but then break South African law by smuggling them across the border without paying South African duties and still be able to sell them at a profit to middlemen who then sell them on to smokers, at below the price of South African cigarettes, with large profits for both smugglers and middlemen.
The Polokwane High Court recently granted South Africa’s specialised crime police the Hawks a preservation order to hold property worth R4 million they recovered for 11 people they found smuggling cigarettes from Zimbabwe.
The Limpopo Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (Hawks) Assets Forfeiture Unit successfully secured a preservation order worth R379 745 against illicit cigarette smugglers recently.
This follows the recent interception of five vehicles in the Makhado area which were transported to Johannesburg an assortment of smuggled cigarettes from Zimbabwe.
It is understood that 30 percent of cigarettes in South Africa are from Zimbabwe.
Ideally a crate of cigarettes is legally bought from Zimbabwean producers at US$120 and then sold for between US$250 and US$300 to the syndicates who then smuggle them into South Africa where they sell for anything above R15 000.
Those that illegally transport the commodity across borders are paid between R100 and R300 per crate and in most cases this is done under the cover of darkness.
Online Reporter