KAAPMUIDEN – The two suspects who were arrested last week for the possession of illegal cigarettes estimated to be worth R1,1 million, have been denied bail.
This happened last Thursday when they appeared in the Low’s Creek Magistrate’s Court on charges of possession of illicit goods.
The suspects were apprehended when police officers stopped two vehicles and found them carrying the illegal cigarettes.
The first vehicle that was stopped during a random stop-and-search operation was an Audi A4 with one occupant.
“It was found that the vehicle was carrying boxes of Safari cigarettes, which when weighed, were found to be worth R172 000. The suspect was arrested on the spot and taken into custody,” Const Kenneth Matsinya explained.
According to Matsinya, the vehicle was heading towards Bushbuckridge.
A four-ton truck was the next vehicle to be pulled over and searched after coming through the Nkomazi Toll Gate.
“Countless boxes of unlawful Pacific Blue cigarettes were found in the rear compartment of the truck. The suspect was also arrested and the cigarettes were weighed and estimated to be be worth
R920 000,” Matsinya added.
The truck was reportedly heading for Secunda.
All the cigarettes were confiscated by SARS.
Mr Sam Manzini, who was driving the Audi A4, is expected to be back in court on March 31, and Mr Mathafeni Sibiya, the driver of the truck will appear again in court on March 9.
