A 44-year-old foreign national has been arrested at the Beitbridge Port of Entry in Limpopo for attempting to smuggle illicit cigarettes with an estimated customs value of R2,139,000.
The arrest occurred during routine profiling and truck inspections at the South Gate into South Africa. Authorities stopped a freight-liner truck with Gauteng registration, where the driver presented a manifest claiming the truck was empty.
However, a thorough inspection revealed pallets and several boxes hidden in the truck. The vehicle was then taken to the commercial ramp, where it was opened to reveal 460 boxes, each containing 100 cartons of Remington Gold cigarettes.
The suspect was taken into custody at the SAPS Musina and charged with cigarette smuggling. He is scheduled to appear in the Musina Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 24 March 2025.