[CRIME]: Police clamp down on Osizweni’s illegal cigarette trade
The estimated street value of confiscated cigarette and tobacco products was said to be more than R10 000.
Five suspects were arrested for being in possession of Mandrax tablets, while three were nabbed for selling tobacco or nicotine in the Osizweni policing area.
This is according to Lizzy Arumugam from Corporate Communications for the Newcastle SAPS.
According to Arumugam, the arrests occurred during an Intelligence Driven Operation on July 6 and 7, where the Newcastle Cluster Task Team worked in conjunction with Osizweni Crime Prevention and Osizweni Reservist members.
“On July 6, police official recovered 81 full Mandrax tablets at a house in Section B, Osizweni. That same afternoon, another house in Section F was raided and two full Mandrax tablets were seized,” she confirmed.
The confiscated Mandrax tablets.
During the raid, information led members to Lucky Supermarket in Section A.
“Members recovered 950 packets of BB Tobacco Products, 450 units of Snuff menthol, 50 packages of King Size Rizla wrapper and 20 packs of Remington cigarettes. One male suspect was subsequently arrested for contravening sections of the Disaster Management Act of 2020.”
The following day, task teams continued their work in a KwaDladla Store in the Section A area and further confiscated a total of 276 packs of Remington cigarettes, two packs of Rayland cigarettes and six packets of BB Tobacco products. Two male suspects were arrested.
“The operation yielded a very positive result,” commented Arumugam, adding the estimated street value of the confiscated goods amounted to more than R10 000.
“All three suspects, aged 25, 26 and 28, have appeared in the Madadeni Magistrate’s Court for selling tobacco products and cigarettes in direct contravention of Act (1) of Section 45 read with Regulation 48(2) of Disaster management ACT of 2020.”
The five suspects who were found in possession of the Mandrax tablets have also appeared in court.
