Forty-two boxes containing packs of cigarettes from an assortment of brands including Remington Gold, Royal Express and Pacific Blue, valued at R700,000, have been seized in Limpopo.

The Hawks said the bust was part of “continuous efforts to curb the mushrooming of the illicit cigarettes trade in the province”. 

Officials raided a warehouse in Mokopane on Wednesday. Some of the boxes were found inside a Toyota bakkie parked next to the facility which was also seized.

A 27-year-old suspect has been arrested for dealing in illicit cigarettes and is expected to appear in the Mokopane magistrate’s court on Thursday.

“More operations to address the illicit cigarette trade are going to be conducted,” said the Hawks.

TimesLIVE