Eight police officers from the Lydenburg K9 Unit in Mpumalanga were arrested by the Hawks on Tuesday for charges ranging from corruption‚ defeating the ends of justice‚ conspiracy to commit a crime‚ assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm to kidnapping.

The arrest of one warrant officer‚ a sergeant and six constables takes the total number of officers arrested in the same case to nine.

Last week constable Elias Mokwana (37) was arrested for the same cases and will be appearing before the Lydenburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for bail application‚ Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

“The officers allegedly stopped a car and upon searching it they found illicit cigarettes and R510‚000 cash. The officers locked the suspects at the back of the police van‚ drove to the industrial area where they took R50‚000 from the confiscated cash and gave the rest to the owners‚ who refused to take the money and then later alerted the Hawks about the incident.

“The nine police suspects are alleged to be members of a syndicate which escorts vehicles transporting illegal cigarettes in Lydenburg and surrounding areas. Further arrests cannot be ruled out.”

During the operation the Hawks also arrested two suspects and took another three in for questioning after the two bakkies they were travelling in were found full of illicit cigarettes at the Sasol Complex in Lydenburg.

The arrested suspects‚ a man and his female companion‚ will appear before the Lydenburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.