News / Regional
Cigarette smuggling syndicate bust
20 Apr 2013 at 08:17hrs | Views
POLICE in Beitbridge have uncovered a suspected cigarette smuggling syndicate and recovered about 700 boxes of cigarettes worth around $74 000.
Following a tip-off, police also arrested two people last week on Friday in connection with the case.
Confirming the incident yesterday, Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Christopher Ngwenya, said investigations were still under way.
He said it is suspected that the cigarettes were intended for smuggling to South Africa.
"The recovered cigarettes consisted of Remington Gold, Servile, Meg cigarettes boxes and two sacks of Derby cigarettes.
"The cigarettes were recovered from two separate homesteads in the Chapfuche area under Chief Mapibi.
"The first consignment was recovered when police raided a homestead belonging to one of the suspects, Langton Ribombo of Chicago area Beitbridge. Upon arrival police found no one at the homestead but they could see the boxes of cigarettes through the window.
"Police recovered 318 boxes of cigarettes, then put the place under guard," said Insp Ngwenya.
He said police teamed up with officers from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and returned to Chapfuche the following day and they received more information about another homestead belonging to another suspect, Mr Pedzisani Muleya and recovered 370 boxes of Remington, 8 boxes of Servile, 29 boxes of Meg and two sacks of Derby cigarettes.
The confiscated cigarettes were taken to the Zimra warehouse.
"It is believed that the two homesteads were used as safe places while the cigarettes were in the process of being smuggled to South Africa," said Asst Insp Ngwenya.
He said the other suspects are still at large.
"Muleya and Ribombo are in police custody assisting the police with investigations to unearth a smuggling syndicate that is suspected to be operating in that area," said Asst Insp Ngwenya.
"We are appealing to members of the public with information that would lead to the arrest of the people involved to come forward with the information.
"We also want to warn the public that it is an offence to withhold information from the police like what Ribombo's neighbours did. Such behaviourobstructs justice to take its course.
"In such cases the law will not hesitate to take its course," said Asst Insp Ngwenya.
Following a tip-off, police also arrested two people last week on Friday in connection with the case.
Confirming the incident yesterday, Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Christopher Ngwenya, said investigations were still under way.
He said it is suspected that the cigarettes were intended for smuggling to South Africa.
"The recovered cigarettes consisted of Remington Gold, Servile, Meg cigarettes boxes and two sacks of Derby cigarettes.
"The cigarettes were recovered from two separate homesteads in the Chapfuche area under Chief Mapibi.
"The first consignment was recovered when police raided a homestead belonging to one of the suspects, Langton Ribombo of Chicago area Beitbridge. Upon arrival police found no one at the homestead but they could see the boxes of cigarettes through the window.
"Police recovered 318 boxes of cigarettes, then put the place under guard," said Insp Ngwenya.
He said police teamed up with officers from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and returned to Chapfuche the following day and they received more information about another homestead belonging to another suspect, Mr Pedzisani Muleya and recovered 370 boxes of Remington, 8 boxes of Servile, 29 boxes of Meg and two sacks of Derby cigarettes.
The confiscated cigarettes were taken to the Zimra warehouse.
"It is believed that the two homesteads were used as safe places while the cigarettes were in the process of being smuggled to South Africa," said Asst Insp Ngwenya.
He said the other suspects are still at large.
"Muleya and Ribombo are in police custody assisting the police with investigations to unearth a smuggling syndicate that is suspected to be operating in that area," said Asst Insp Ngwenya.
"We are appealing to members of the public with information that would lead to the arrest of the people involved to come forward with the information.
"We also want to warn the public that it is an offence to withhold information from the police like what Ribombo's neighbours did. Such behaviourobstructs justice to take its course.
"In such cases the law will not hesitate to take its course," said Asst Insp Ngwenya.
Source - TC
