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Crime Reporter
A South African Magistrate’s court has fined a 34-year-old Zimbabwean woman R20 000 (or 12-months) after she was found guilty for possession of illicit Zimbabwean cigarettes smuggled into the country.
Tatenda Mashaire appeared before a Musina Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
According to media reports, South Africa’s Limpopo spokesperson for the Hawks, Captain Matimba Maluleke, said Mashaire was arrested last month after a tip-off about illicit cigarettes that were being kept at a house at Malale Village in the Tshamutumbu policing area.
“On January 21 a sting operation by members of the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation in collaboration with crime intelligence and South African National Defence Force was conducted resulting in the arrest of the accused and seizure of boxes containing Remington Gold cigarettes worth R43 684.
“Mashaire, who is a Zimbabwean national, appeared in the Musina Magistrate’s Court and entered into a plea agreement with the State,” said Cpt Maluleke.
She was slapped with a R40 000 fine or 24 months’ imprisonment, of which half was suspended for a period of five years on condition that she is not convicted of similar offence during the period of suspension.
Last year, two members of the SANDF were arrested for allegedly transporting illicit cigarettes across the border using an SANDF vehicle.
At the time, police spokesperson in Limpopo, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, said the two soldiers were arrested along with a 30-year-old undocumented foreign national.
Brig Mojapelo said police at Beitbridge received information about an army vehicle loaded with illicit cigarettes that were to be delivered to an unidentified buyer around Musina.
“They then reacted by staging a stop-and-search operation next to the Baobab Truck Park along the N1 road north of Musina. The army vehicle fitting the description approached and the members pulled it over,” Brig Mojapelo said.
The soldiers and a civilian wearing an army jacket alighted from the vehicle, which was then searched and 12 boxes of illicit cigarettes were found.
South Africa is the destination for many attempting to smuggle cigarettes from Zimbabwe. Tobacco taxes are much higher in South Africa that the lower taxed Zimbawbean cigarettes can find a ready market when smuggled over the Limpopo.
Online Reporter