Customs officials of Sars seized illicit cigarettes declared as tissue paper to the value of R10-million at the Durban harbour this past weekend.
This bust follows an operation in Cape Town recently when illegal cigarettes to the value of R6-m were seized.
The Durban bust was based on information received about a container that was imported from an East Asian country with contents incorrectly declared as tissue paper.
Due to the recent riots in KwaZulu-Natal, the vessel was delayed at outer anchorage and the container was only released on July 16. However, once the container was scrutinised on the Transnet system, it was established the container contained illicit cigarettes, which may also be counterfeit.
Immediately after the riots, there was a delay with the Transnet core systems, which resulted in further delays at the port. As the port gradually recovered, the container was released from the port on July 28
After an arduous search the next day, it was established the cargo was delivered to a storage facility at Old North Coast Road in Glen Anil.
On July 30, a search warrant was obtained at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court and Sars entered the premises.
Inside the warehouse were 950 master cases of Pacific 14mg cigarettes (illicit product) and 50 boxes of tissue paper.
The goods were detained and deposited at the Sars State Warehouse.
A criminal case has been opened with the SAPS and investigations are ongoing.
The Sars commissioner, Edward Kieswetter, praised the determination of the customs officials for getting to the storage facility despite the odds.
“Our customs officials understand the importance of preventing illicit goods, such as cigarettes, from entering South Africa because they destroy local industry and contribute to the loss of jobs.
“Their actions are proof that Sars will not tolerate non-compliance by any taxpayer or trader and that we will make it hard and costly for those who willfully flout our country’s laws,” Kieswetter said.
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