Suspect arrested with R7.5m illicit cigarettes during N1 roadblock
The arrest forms part of ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat the illegal tobacco trade and other forms of organised crime.
A 35-year-old man has been arrested after police seized suspected illicit cigarettes worth an estimated R7.5 million during a vehicle checkpoint on the N1 near Parys in the Free State.
The arrest forms part of ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat the illegal tobacco trade and other forms of organised crime.
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According to Free State police spokesperson Sergeant Josephine Rani, members of the Fezile Dabi District Highway Patrol were conducting a vehicle checkpoint at the Vaal Plaza on Tuesday afternoon when they identified a suspicious truck travelling towards Kroonstad.
“During the stop-and-search, officers identified a suspicious truck travelling towards Kroonstad. They pursued the vehicle and intercepted it at the Engen One Stop service station,” said Rani.
A search of the vehicle uncovered 430 boxes of suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R7.5 million.
The Isuzu truck allegedly used to transport the cigarettes was also confiscated.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Parys Magistrate’s Court on charges relating to the possession of suspected illicit cigarettes.
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In a separate operation in Gauteng on the same day, two men aged 22 and 50 were arrested for possession of drugs during an intelligence-driven operation in the Naledi policing precinct.
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Constable D. Phemula, Crime Intelligence officers and members of the Soweto K9 Unit acted on information regarding two suspects allegedly in possession of drugs at different addresses in the area.
“The information was operationalised, leading members to conduct targeted operations at the identified addresses,” said Phemula.
Police confiscated drug tablets and crystal meth during the operation.
The two suspects are expected to appear in court soon on charges of possession of drugs.
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Phemula said the arrests form part of ongoing efforts to remove illegal drugs from communities and improve public safety.
Police have urged members of the public to assist in the fight against crime by reporting illegal activities anonymously through the SAPS Crime Stop hotline or the MySAPS App.
The investigations into both cases are continuing.
