Illicit cigarettes disguised as lucern confiscated on the N1
104 cartons of illicit cigarettes said to be smuggled from Zimbabwe were found in the trailer of a truck made to look like it was transporting lucern.
POLOKWANE – Two men are expected to appear before the Morebeng Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of transportation and possession of illicit cigarettes.
The duo, aged 25 and 28, were arrested along the N1 near Botlokwa last Friday (September 30) when Limpopo police stopped the truck they were travelling in.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the truck was stopped on the N1 towards Polokwane after a tip off that the suspects were transporting illicit cigarettes and not lucern (animal food).
“The truck was made to look like it was transporting stacks of lucern in the rear section of the trailer to deceive the police. Upon further inspection, it was discovered that the front side of the trailer was loaded with 104 cartons of Remington Gold cigarettes with an estimated street of R70 000,” Mojapelo said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the cigarettes were reportedly smuggled from Zimbabwe.
On September 24, two foreign nationals were arrested on the R71 near Dalmada, also in possession of illicit cigarettes worth R1.5m.
Police were tipped off and 152 boxes of Remington Gold cigarettes were found.
Read more: Foreign nationals nabbed in Dalmada with R1.5m in illicit cigarettes
