Illegal cigarettes sold at train station
Vendors say they make more money selling illegal cigarettes.
Vendors continue to sell counterfeit cigarettes at Mabopane station near Rietgat police station.
The counterfeit cigarettes are smuggled into the country by syndicates and the content is unknown because manufacturers do not have to comply with local quality standards.
Shasha, Derby and Sharp are the popular brands for their cheap price. They cost only R1 per cigarette.
According to Shonky Ratayo, of the Tshwane metro, sellers risked being arrested and fined.
But Rietgat police spokesperson Lolo Mangena said it was difficult to track down the sellers as they disguised their true products.
He said street vendors packed the counterfeit cigarettes into legal packets to disguise them.
Those who were arrested refused to reveal the names of their suppliers.
Evans Machipe, a street vendor in Mabopane station, said a carton (10 packets) of the illegal cigarettes cost him R115 while that of legal cigarettes cost him R345 so he made a larger profit by selling the illegal cigarettes.
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