Illicit cigarettes worth R1.5 million seized in Free State

Police this week intercepted a large consignment of illicit cigarettes near the Lesotho border.

In an operation with the South African Revenue Service (Sars), police raided a house in Ficksburg on 25 July.

Illicit cigarettes are defined as any items found to be in contravention of the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act 63 of 2008.  

Failed bribery attempt

Information gathered by the intelligence unit led officers to a house, where 119 cardboard boxes packed with cigarettes were found during their search.

Police valued the cigarettes at R1.5 million, with Sars and other external stakeholders on scene to conduct further investigations.

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While authorities were at the scene, a luxury vehicle with foreign number plates arrived at the house.

A 42-year-old attempted to bribe the officials and was subsequently arrested. Police also confiscated an undisclosed amount of cash, all in R200 notes.

“This has proven that we have no space for corruption in the service; the act is taken seriously and the suspect will face the full might of the law,” said Free State police commissioner Lieutenant-General Baile Motswenyane.

The suspect appeared in the Ficksburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday and will be held in custody until his bail application on 1 August.

R172 000 worth of drugs confiscated

In separate incidents, police confiscated R172 000 worth of Mandrax and crystal meth on Friday night.

Three men were arrested in Bloemfontein after police responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle.

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Aged 26, 36 and 50, the three were found in possession of 576 Mandrax tablets with an estimated street value of R32 000.

Meanwhile, a 42-year-old was arrested in Calvinia for allegedly dealing in drugs.

The man had on him packets of Mandrax and crystal meth with an estimated value of R140 000.