Six suspects from four countries have been arrested in connection with the illegal cigarette trade since the weekend‚ the Hawks said today.
In the first case‚ two suspects were arrested after their kombi was stopped and searched in Mankweng‚ Limpopo‚ over the weekend. The Hawks officers found 79 master cases of illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R800‚000‚ Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said in a statement.
“The suspects‚ a 23-year-old Mbuso Polite Nkosi and his Zimbabwean counterpart Alban Mumanyi have already appeared before the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court and were remanded in custody.” They are expected to apply for bail at a court appearance next week.
In a separate incident four suspects‚ identified as Asraf Shaik (26) and Nadim Shaik (24)‚ both Indian nationals‚ Jame Siyayimu (21)‚ a Malawian resident‚ together with a 30-year-old Johannesburg resident Thamsanqa Dladla‚ were arrested while allegedly loading 1‚059 master cases of illegal cigarettes worth over R1 million from a kombi into a truck along the R36 road to Lydenburg‚ Mulaudzi said.
The four suspects made a brief appearance in the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court on Monday and their case was postponed to later this week for a formal bail application.
“One of the suspects offered the police a R6‚000 bribe and will face a further charge of attempting to bribe a police official‚” Mulaudzi said.
The SAPS announced earlier this year that they have assigned a team of detectives and police tactical operational officers to combat gangs targeting tobacco trucks. Hundreds of suspects have been arrested and stolen cigarettes to the value of several million rands recovered.
On average‚ four trucks transporting cigarettes are hijacked every day in South Africa.
Hawks nab six suspects over transport of illegal cigarettes
Six suspects from four countries have been arrested in connection with the illegal cigarette trade since the weekend‚ the Hawks said today.
In the first case‚ two suspects were arrested after their kombi was stopped and searched in Mankweng‚ Limpopo‚ over the weekend. The Hawks officers found 79 master cases of illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R800‚000‚ Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said in a statement.
“The suspects‚ a 23-year-old Mbuso Polite Nkosi and his Zimbabwean counterpart Alban Mumanyi have already appeared before the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court and were remanded in custody.” They are expected to apply for bail at a court appearance next week.
In a separate incident four suspects‚ identified as Asraf Shaik (26) and Nadim Shaik (24)‚ both Indian nationals‚ Jame Siyayimu (21)‚ a Malawian resident‚ together with a 30-year-old Johannesburg resident Thamsanqa Dladla‚ were arrested while allegedly loading 1‚059 master cases of illegal cigarettes worth over R1 million from a kombi into a truck along the R36 road to Lydenburg‚ Mulaudzi said.
The four suspects made a brief appearance in the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court on Monday and their case was postponed to later this week for a formal bail application.
“One of the suspects offered the police a R6‚000 bribe and will face a further charge of attempting to bribe a police official‚” Mulaudzi said.
The SAPS announced earlier this year that they have assigned a team of detectives and police tactical operational officers to combat gangs targeting tobacco trucks. Hundreds of suspects have been arrested and stolen cigarettes to the value of several million rands recovered.
On average‚ four trucks transporting cigarettes are hijacked every day in South Africa.
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