Trio involved in smuggling cigarettes worth R650 000 denied bail
The three were arrested after a tip-off led authorities to stop a truck transporting illicit cigarettes along the N1 highway towards Carousel Plaza.
Three suspects facing charges of contravening the Customs and Excise Act, illegal possession of illicit cigarettes, corruption and bribery have been denied bail.
Matu Petrus Gobile (64), Junaid Mohammed Dhorat (19), and Mubarak Alibhai Ahmed Rokad (42) appeared at the Pretoria Central Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, August 6.
Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela said the three were arrested after a tip-off led authorities to stop a truck transporting illicit cigarettes along the N1 highway towards the Carousel Plaza.
Mavimbela said the suspects were planning to transport the items to Johannesburg and were escorted by a silver Toyota Fortuner.
“The truck was spotted and stopped travelling along the Stormvoël offramp on the N1 highway when cigarettes were found and seized.”
She said the seized cigarettes were valued at R650 000 and were found in a truck driven by Gobile, who was arrested for possession and contravention of the Customs and Excise Act.
“Dhorat and Rokad were arrested for corruption after offering police officials a bribe of R10 000,” she said.
Mavimbela added that further investigations revealed that Gobile and Dhorat were arrested last month for a similar offence of transporting illicit cigarettes from Musina in Limpopo to Gauteng.
Gobile was then granted bail of R3 000, while Dhorat was released on bail of R5 000.
The case was postponed to August 14.
ALSO READ: Street vendor’s brutal murder earns east man life behind bars
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
