By Agreement Mabunda
POLOKWANE: Two illegal immigrants were arrested for being in possession of illicit cigarettes worth more than one million rands on Tuesday 05 September 2023.
The members of the Crime Intelligence Unit provided information about a truck which was escorted by heavily armed suspects who were driving two bakkies that were heading towards Polokwane direction and commenced with the manhunt of the suspects.
The convoy was spotted driving along the R521 Dendron public road and the two bakkies which were escorting the truck immediately drove into different directions upon seeing the Police to evade an arrest. The Hino truck with two occupants was stopped and searched.
Subsequently, Police discovered that the truck was loaded with 273 master boxes of illicit Remington Gold cigarettes with a street value of R1.5 million.
The duo were immediately placed under arrest and a truck estimated to be valued at R700.000 was also seized during the arrests.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects aged 31 and 42 are believed to be Lesotho and Zimbabwean Nationals who were in the country illegally during the commission of the crime.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe applauded the team for their vigilance which led to the arrest of the suspects.
They are expected to appear before the Mogwadi Magistrate court soon facing charges of Contravention of the Immigration Act including dealing and possession of illicit cigarettes.
