Illicit cigarette trader jailed
Last week, he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment of which two years is suspended for five years for each count.
Ismael Adam Bhiku (29) who was found to be in trading in illicit cigarettes to the value of more than R3-million, was sentenced recently in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court.
Port Shepstone Saps played a major role in the case.
Earlier this year, Bhiku was convicted for contravention of customs and excise act as well as contravention of the tobacco products control act.
Last week, he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment of which two years is suspended for five years for each count.
The sentences will run concurrently.
In November 2015, Bhiku was involved in the illegal importing of illicit cigarettes between KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo.
Port Shepstone Serious Organised Crime unit members conducted several undercover operations with an intention to gather concrete evidence.
In 2016, an operation was conducted and a search warrant executed at his warehouse in Pietermaritzburg, during the search 147 master cases of illicit cigarettes to the street value of R1 350 000 were seized.
Hawks spokesman Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said members continued with their intelligence driven operation until he was arrested in December 2017.
During his arrest, 216 master cases of illicit cigarettes to the street value of R2 032 191 were also seized.
A panel van that was used in the commission of crime was also seized.
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