Limpopo police intercepted a Toyota Corolla carrying illicit Remington Gold cigarettes. Photos: Limpopo police
POLOKWANE – A South African man (31) and a Zimbabwean national (28) are expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court today following their arrest on the N1 near Mall of the North yesterday (August 26).
According to the Limpopo police, the duo were arrested during an Anti-Smuggling Operation for dealing in illicit cigarettes and contravening the Immigration Act 13 of 2002.
Two suspects were arrested after a high-speed chase on the N1 near Mall of the North. Photo: Limpopo police
“Members of the Limpopo Tracking Team, the Provincial Intervention Unit (PIU) and Tshimollo Security and Investigation acted on intelligence about a vehicle transporting illicit goods from Beitbridge to Polokwane. A silver Toyota Corolla matching the description was spotted on the N1 and after a high-speed chase, the vehicle was intercepted near Mall of the North,” the Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba’s statement read.
He said a search revealed 19 master cases and 47 cartons of Remington Gold illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R120 000.
The illicit Remington Gold cigarettes confiscated by the police. Photo: Limpopo police
Police seized R120k worth of illicit cigarettes during a chase on the N1 near Mall of the North. Photo: Limpopo police.
Limpopo police intercepted a Toyota Corolla carrying illicit Remington Gold cigarettes. Photo: Limpopo police
“The vehicle was confiscated and will be forfeited to the State under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 29 of 2004,” he said.
The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, praised the successful operation and commended the excellent coordination between law enforcement teams.
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
