Staff Reporter
A 44-year-old man believed to be Zimbabwean has been arrested at Beitbridge Border Post while in possession of locally made cigarettes worth R14 Million that he was smuggling into South Africa in a fuel tanker.
The suspected smuggler was arrested on the South African side of the border, having passed all sophisticated Zimbabwean scans and water-tight security involving all security apparatus of the land.
The suspect is expected to appear in court on Wednesday this week. He was driving the tanker when he misled police on the South African side of Beitbridge that his vehicle was empty but they insisted on searching it.
A statement by the South African Police Service (Saps) said police discovered 710 boxes of Remington Gold illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R14.449.363.00 concealed in the tanker, which is valued at R2 500 000.
All has been seized.
“The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has applauded police for their vigilance and alertness, which resulted in the arrest of a 44-year-old foreign national for smuggling illicit cigarettes worth more than fourteen million rands at Beitbridge Port of Entry on Saturday 18 January 2025.
“The suspect was driving a white truck with a tanker trailer when he was stopped by the police at the port of entry. The driver told police that it was empty but they suspected it to be loaded and it was taken to the ramp zone at the commercial side and searched,” Saps said in a statement signed by Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba of the Saps Limpopo Media Office.
During the search, he said, police discovered the tanker was fully loaded with Remington Gold brand to which the suspect failed to provide satisfactory explanation regarding its origin and was placed under arrest on the spot.
“During the arrest, police confiscated 710 boxes of Remington Gold illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R14.449.363.00 and a truck tanker valued at R2.500.000.”
The man is expected to appear before the Musina Magistrate Court soon facing a charge of smuggling of illicit cigarettes while investigations are continuing.
