Limpopo police have seized illicit cigarettes worth over R2 million, preventing a major smuggling attempt at Beitbridge.
Image: Supplied/SAPS
A 44-year-old foreign national truck driver was arrested at Beitbridge Port of Entry on Thursday morning, for allegedly attempting to smuggle illicit cigarettes valued at over R2 million.
The police said the man was arrested at about 3.15am in the morning, during the routine profiling and searches of trucks at the South Gate entering South Africa.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the man was driving a freight liner truck with Gauteng registration and presented a manifest indicating that the truck was empty.
However, Ledwaba said a thorough search revealed that the truck was laden with pallets and several boxes positioned in front of the pallets.
“The vehicle was subsequently taken to the commercial ramp where it was opened, revealing it was loaded with 460 boxes,” he said.
Each box, when opened, Ledwaba said, contained 100 cartoons of Remington Gold cigarettes.
Ledwaba said the estimated value of the illicit cigarettes the man was allegedly attempting to smuggle was R2,139,000.
“Following the discovery, the suspect was detained at SAPS Musina and charged with smuggling of illicit cigarettes,” he added.
Ledwaba said the man is scheduled to appear before the Musina Magistrate’s Court next week on Monday, March 24, 2025.
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The truck containing smuggled cigarettes is pictured at Beitbridge Port before the cargo was opened and seized by Limpopo police.
Image: Supplied/SAPS
Meanwhile, the provincial commissioner of the police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe commended the diligent efforts of the officers involved in the operation and reiterated the commitment of the men and women in blue to clamp down on cross-border criminal activities.
In January this year, IOL News reported that the Limpopo police arrested a 44-year-old foreign national in the fight against cross-border smuggling, seizing illicit cigarettes worth over R14 million at the Beitbridge Port of Entry on January 18.
The police spokesperson, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said the suspect, driving a white truck with a tanker trailer, claimed the vehicle was empty. But police, unconvinced by his story, directed the truck to the commercial ramp zone for inspection.
"During the search, police discovered that it was fully loaded with illicit cigarettes of Remington Gold brand and the suspect failed to provide satisfactory explanation regarding the origin of the cigarettes and he was immediately placed under arrest on the spot," said Mashaba.
"During the arrest, police confiscated 710 boxes of Remington Gold illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R14,449,363 and a truck tanker valued at R2,500,000."
IOL News