Six found ‘offloading illicit cigarettes from gas tanker into cargo trucks’ in Limpopo

Six men appeared in the Marble Hall magistrate's court on Monday after they were allegedly found transferring illicit cigarettes worth more than R12m from a gas tanker to two cargo trucks.

The six were arrested on Friday night in Toitskraal, just outside Marble Hall, in Limpopo as they were moving the cargo, according to police.

“The six were intercepted after police received information about the suspects, who were busy offloading the illicit cigarettes from a gas tanker into the cargo trucks. According to the information, the suspects parked the tanker and two cargo trucks at one of the farms in Toitskraal,” Limpopo police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba told TimesLIVE.

“It is further alleged that the gas tanker was from Musina and was being escorted by a white Toyota Auris while the two cargo trucks were reportedly from Gauteng”.

Ledwaba confirmed that the cargo, along with the vehicles used to transport the consignment, were also seized by officials.

The suspects were remanded until their next court appearance on February 6 for bail application.

They face charges of possession of suspected stolen goods and smuggling illicit cigarettes.

TimesLIVE