Two Zimbabwean nationals were detained for possessing illicit cigarettes, North West police said.
The operation included Potchefstroom Crime Intelligence, Potchefstroom Flying Squad, and Ventersdorp Visible Policing on Friday
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson, Colonel Amanda Funani said based on sources, Ventersdorp Visible Policing got information regarding a suspicious Volvo truck driving from Rustenburg to Gauteng.
“A follow-up was made, and the truck was spotted and stopped along the R30 road for a search. During the search, the police discovered 124 boxes containing 50 cartons of Remington gold cigarettes worth R1.6 million inside the truck,” Funani said.
As a consequence, two suspects, ages 47 and 50, were detained for failing to account for the possession.
The two are scheduled to appear before the Ventersdorp Magistrates’ Court on Monday, November 25.
Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, the Provincial Police Commissioner, complimented the participating units on their collaborative efforts in combating illegal economic activities.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) is investigating.
The public is encouraged to report crimes anonymously by phoning the SAPS Crime Stop number 08600 10111 or using the MySAPS programme. Extortion-related occurrences can be reported to the Extortion Hotline at 080 091 1011.
In a similar case, a car chase involving police, a traffic inspector, and two suspects resulted in the arrest of two individuals and the recovery of contraband cigarettes worth more than R400,000 in the Driekop policing area in Limpopo.
IOL