Monday 26 July 2021

R10M WORTH OR ZIM TOBACCO FOUND IN SA WAREHOUSE


Officials discovered a stash of unprocessed tobacco worth R10 million at a warehouse in the town's Thorn Park, suspected to have come through the Beit Bridge border post from Zimbabwe.

East London police made the bust in collaboration with customs officers. A 31-year-old male suspect was arrested for possession of unprocessed tobacco and bribery.

Eastern Cape police said the arrest came after customs officials at the border post stopped a truck with a cargo of unlicensed tobacco destined for East London.

Customs officials informed their colleagues in East London about a Warehouse in Kleipheuvel Road as the cargo's destination.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana said SAPS' Rural Safety members and custom officials stormed the warehouse and discovered stacks of numerous boxes of unprocessed tobacco.

He said the suspect was arrested for possession of the product and illegal activities that allegedly took place inside the alleged rented business premises.

Kinana said during the operation, police discovered about 1 279 boxes weighing a total of 200 kilograms of both raw and cut rag tobacco.

He added that the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the customs officials with an undisclosed amount of money to evade arrest.

The customs officials reported the matter to the police who had since confiscated the alleged cash and added another charge of bribery, said Kinana.


Dladla said: It is this kind of collaboration and information sharing that will ensure our success in breaking the backbone of the criminal network. I trust that our detectives will dig more into these despicable activities in order to expose even those who may have been part of the plan and business.

The suspect is due to appear in the East London Magistrate's Court once he's charged for possession of unprocessed tobacco and bribery.

The possibility of additional charges could not be ruled out and the investigation continued, said Kinana. News24

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