‘The illegality starts at Beitbridge’

LIMPOPO – Illegal tobacco products are supplied into local networks by legitimate and licensed buyers, who purchase it from factories in Zimbabwe and channel it into the local black market.

In addition, basically anyone can obtain a licence to purchase cigarettes, with the only remaining obstacle being that of getting the contraband across the border.

This information came to light in an exclusive interview with an insider in the trade who works along the Beitbridge border post and whose identity will be withheld.

The source
Tobacco, he said, is sourced from three manufacturers who are all based in Harare, Zimbabwe, usually by those who have wholesale shops from which smugglers buy in bulk.

“It is easy to acquire tobacco in bulk and in small quantities as wholesalers do not require people to produce shop licences before they can buy.

“This effectively means every Tom, Dick and Harry can buy whatever quantity of smokes without having to account for its supply, destination, end-use or consumption.”

From Harare, tobacco is transported openly to Beitbridge as it is not illegal to own or transport tobacco in Zimbabwe.

Bribes, bribes and more bribes
“Smugglers are given the tobacco to get through illegal crossborder points. The acquisition, transportation and ownership of tobacco products is not outlawed in Zimbabwe, so the illegality begins at Beitbridge.”

The contraband is transported in trucks and vehicles, and at the Beitbridge border, packaged into smaller cartons.

“From here, anything is used to get it across the border – anything from a car to a wheelbarrow and even a donkey cart.”

Those who need to get it across the border have two options, the source explained:
The first option is for the smuggler to transport the cigarettes across the border by himself: “If you have a R100 note for each of the police and immigration officers you will pass in the process, you are guaranteed to pass the three checkpoints.”

This, he said, is because there are ‘regulars’ who work on either side of the border post, and pay daily sums of between R50 and R100 to be allowed to loiter and work unhindered: “Once they have the goods, a further percentage of the deal is given to border officials which include members of the SANDF or SAPS or Intelligence, or home affairs and immigration officials.”
Secondly, a smuggler can get the contraband across the Limpopo River at a cost of R300 per load.

“For as little as R100, the water raft operators who are mostly South African, take the load across the river. The cigarettes are then loaded into vehicles to Musina at a cost of R500. Along the way, bribes are paid to the Zimbabwean and South African border police.”

‘Magumagumas’ and the added risks

The last option, he said, might be more expensive, but is also more guaranteed as there is a lesser risk “of things going wrong”.

Smuggling the contraband through the Limpopo River has the added risk, he explained, of the ‘Magumagumas’ pouncing on smugglers. These are ‘contraband robbers’, who shoot at random and overpower the smugglers, in essence to steal the contraband. “The Magumagumas are armed robbers who bribe police and army officials to operate in the area. They are able to defend themselves, and have the law to shield them if anyone tried to pull a fast one on them.”

From the illegal markets in the suburbs of Musina, loads are transported into a predetermined destination in South Africa, usually Johannesburg or Cape Town.

Besides the N1, a route that is becoming more popular, is one via the Alldays/Tom Burke/Lephalale link, as this route is not as patrolled by law enforcement as the national roads.

Demand and supply

“For as long as South Africans continue to smoke, the demand for Zimbabwean products is guaranteed, and smugglers and syndicates will continue to fill the supply gap.”

For syndicates, whether the border is open or close is never a concern, as they “know their way around and have a secure network of bribed officials at the post”.

The bribes paid to officials may simply depend on the size of the contraband, or how desperate the officials are, according to the source.

“Any amount from as little as R50 is accepted. It is often the customs and immigration officers who tend to demand higher and more fixed amounts, depending on the value and the quantity of contraband. They are, after all, responsible for the baggage search and scan.”

Bribery, according to the source, has become part and parcel of the work ethic of border officials.

“I can honestly say that in my more than 20 years of regular travel through Beitbridge, I’ve never seen any official refusing a bribe. It is also much easier to bribe a South African official than their Zimbabwean counterpart.”

South African officials practice corruption unashamedly, he said, as they are upfront about what is expected: “Zimbabwean border officials are more subtle in their approach”.

Besides this, the pecking order is simple: SAPS, Home Affairs, immigration, traffic cops and border security guards.

“Once you are cleared at the border post, R100 usually saves you the trouble at roadblocks further down the line, which are manned by army and police officers.”

Business is booming

According to the source, the price of illegal cigarettes has gone up by in some instances, up to 250% since the announcement of the ban.

“This is firstly due to the increase in demand and secondly, there are more risks involved in the buying, transporting and selling of cigarettes.”

The price of cigarettes is around 25% cheaper in the rural areas, while his city clients are willing to pay more, and orders are streaming in.

“If I buy a box of 50 cartons of cigarettes, it usually costs around R7 500 but the price is now  around R12 500. From that box I would usually make a good R10 000, but currently I am making around R60 000 because of the price increase.”

Contacted for comment, the police in Limpopo reiterated that they continue to fight the scourge of illicit cigarette syndicates that are currently operating in the province.

Among many other cases, this week, one smuggler who appeared in the Mokopane Regional court was given a R600 000 fine or five-year prison sentence for smuggling contraband of R200 000.

Insiders in the trade believe that the ones who get caught, however, remain the tip of the iceberg.

reporter02@nmgroup.co.za