LIMPOPO – A 39-year-old suspect was arrested by Police in Makhado on Friday, 20 December 2019 for alleged possession of illicit cigarettes with an estimated value of over R900 000.
Police Spokesperson, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo says the arrest comes after police received a tip-off about a suspicious black Toyota Corolla loading cigarettes at a storage facility in the Makhado CBD and an observation operation was conducted supported by rural safety stakeholders.
“The said vehicle was then traced and stopped. During the search, boxes of illicit cigarettes were found in the boot and the suspect was arrested on the spot. Police investigations continued at the storage facility and about 3712 boxes of illicit cigarettes were then discovered,” Mojapelo said.
Photo: Limpopo police
The total value of the seized illicit cigarettes was R935 572. 48.
“The suspect will soon appear in the Louis Trichardt Magistrate’s court , for possession of illicit cigarettes.”
Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba, has praised members for their ability to make quick decisions and act, resulting in this major breakthrough.
Raeesa Sempe is a Caxton Award-winning Digital Editor with nine years’ experience in the industry. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand and started her journey as a community journalist for the Polokwane Review in 2015. She then became the online journalist for the Review in 2016 where she excelled in solidifying the Review’s digital footprint through Facebook lives, content creation and marketing campaigns. Raeesa then moved on to become the News Editor of the Bonus Review in 2019 and scooped up the Editorial Employee of the Year award in the same year. She is the current Digital Editor of the Polokwane Review-Observer, a position she takes pride in. Raeesa is married with one child and enjoys spending time with friends, listening to music and baking – when she has the time. “I still believe that if your aim is to change the world, journalism is a more immediate short-term weapon." – Tom Stoppard
