Photo: Saps
Members of Upington Border Police, with support from customs and the K9 united, tracked a vehicle transporting 210 boxes of cigarettes, approximately worth R3.5 million.
This comes after they received a tipoff pertaining to the transport of illicit Sahawi cigarettes near Upington on Monday, 28 February.
The vehicle was stopped on the N14 just outside Upington and the driver was questioned. Sargeant Omphile Masegela said in a statement:
“[The driver] was interviewed by the police but could not declare the origin of the cigarettes”.
An enquiry was registered for investigation and the cigarettes were handed over to Customs for further investigation.
The Acting District Commissioner of ZF Mgcawu, Colonel Peet Coetzee lauded the collaborative effort by the members for their swift response.
Earlier this week, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) seized illicit cigarettes and tobacco in KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, and Gauteng, valuing more than R500 million in total.
Some 20 containers with cigarettes worth approximately R24 million were found at the Durban Harbour, along with 10 million kilograms of tobacco valued at over R450m.
A physical inspection at the harbour found the consignment was declared as cement bags; Sars will continue the investigation.
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Meanwhile, 3,852 cases with a value of R51 million were tracked down in Gauteng, and 362 cases valued at R4.8 million in the Western Cape.
At the time, Sars commissioner, Edward Kieswetter said the perpetrators who “systematically and deliberately set out to deprive what is due to fiscus” will be dealt with.
“This kind of conduct will be made hard and costly”, Kieswetter added.
NOW READ: Sars claims R19bn in taxes from alleged tobacco smuggler
Compiled by Cheryl Kahla.
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