Police recover illicit cigarettes worth R500k in Marabastad
Illicit cigarettes were being stored in two separate shops at the Oriental Plaza, Marabastad.
The Pretoria Central SAPS recently arrested three men and recovered nearly half a million rands’ worth of illicit cigarettes during an intelligence operation in Marabastad.
The three suspects are expected to appear at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, pending further investigation.
The Central crime intelligence team made the bust after receiving information via a tip-off regarding where the cigarettes were stored and the syndicate running the operation.
A team tasked with tracing the location and a crime prevention team set out on April 11 and located the shop in the early hours of the morning.
Spokesperson Constable Thabang Nkhumise said upon locating the illicit cigarettes, the suspects (aged 56, 53, and 36) were taken into custody after failing to produce valid documentation by way of a declaration of goods and invoices.
“The police uncovered boxes containing different brands of cigarettes estimated at a value of about R500 000 hidden at the two identified shops located at the Oriental Plaza Marabastad,” Nkhumise said.
The three suspects were detained at the station and charged under the Customs Duty Act (Section 15) with undervaluation of goods to evade duties.
Station commander Brigadier Hlengani Gibin Mashaba commended the officers for the bust.
He warned business owners to comply with the laws of the land or face its wrath.
Mashaba also issued a warning to his fellow officers, saying should they also be caught engaging in similar activities, they will not be spared from the consequences.
“We want to warn all business owners around the policing precinct to comply with the rules and regulations of trading or conducting their businesses. Selling cigarettes below the price set by Customs and Excise, and failing to provide purchase invoices, constitutes non-compliance with South African tax and trade regulations,” he said.
“I am aware that there are police officers conducting criminal activities around the business precinct, and should they be found, they will face the might of the law.”
He urged the community to report any criminal activities.
People can do so anonymously by calling the Crime Stop hotline on 08600 10111, dialling 112 on any network provider or using the MySAPS app.
Alternatively, contact the station directly on 012 353 5000.
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