Members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and police officers have confiscated illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R8 million on South Africa’s border with Botswana.
Colonel Adele Myburgh, provincial police spokesperson in North West said the confiscation of the cigarettes is a success story in the continuous and joint efforts to address illicit economic activities.
“Reports suggest that police responded on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, to a call by members of the SANDF who were patrolling along the Botswana/South Africa borderline, near Makgobistad. That was after they spotted a suspicious truck, which apparently stopped due a deflated tyre,” said Myburgh.
As members of the SANDF approached the truck to probe further, a man got out of the vehicle, jumped the fence into the territory of Botswana and fled on foot.
“Upon searching the truck, illicit cigarettes were found and confiscated. Investigations into the matter are under way by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (also known as the Hawks).”
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena has commended the team “for their attentiveness” which led to the discovery.
Last year, IOL reported that police in Limpopo had intercepted two heavy-duty trucks, fully loaded with illicit cigarettes, and subsequently arrested a man who was attempting to smuggle the contraband into South Africa from Botswana.
At the time, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba spokesperson for the SAPS in Limpopo said one of the two drivers managed to escape at the Groblersbrug port of entry.
“This (arrested) suspect is one of the two drivers of these trucks which were found fully loaded with illicit cigarettes worth over R1.4 million on the border,” Ledwaba said.
“According to the information received, the two suspects were on the border of Groblersbrug waiting to enter into South Africa from Botswana when members on duty became suspicious and conducted a search on the two trucks. They ultimately found these cigarettes, fully-loaded in the trucks.”
IOL