MOKOPANE – A man was arrested on Wednesday afternoon for dealing in illicit cigarettes worth more than R700 000.
In a statement, Spokesperson for the Hawks, Capt Matimba Maluleke said the man was nabbed during a joint operation conducted by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation assisted by members of the Mokopane police.
“Members followed up on a tip-off received about a storage facility in Mokopane where illicit cigarettes were being stored. The information led them to a warehouse in the city, where on arrival members discovered 42 boxes containing a assortment of illicit cigarettes including Remington Gold, Royal Express and Pacific Blue. Some boxes were also found inside a vehicle which was parked adjacent to the facility.”
During the incident the said vehicle as well as illicit cigarettes to the value of over R700 000 were seized and the 27-year-old man arrested.
The accused is expected to appear in the Mokopane Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of dealing in illicit cigarettes.
Matimba says the continuous effort to curb the mushrooming of illicit cigarettes trade in the province is ongoing and more operations to address to scourge will be conducted.
