News / Regional
Smuggler arrested, 2 cars & cigarettes worth $10,400 impounded
13 Nov 2013 at 06:24hrs | Views
Police have intercepted a consignment of export quality cigarettes worth $10 400 which were being smuggled out of the country through an illegal crossing point along the Limpopo River.
The police officer commanding Beitbridge district Chief Superintendent Lawrence Chinhengo said they arrested Barry Siziba (31) of Dulibadzimu suburb on Monday morning in connection with the smuggling of 104 boxes of assorted cigarettes.
He said they had also impounded two vehicles a Toyota Toyace truck and a Toyota minibus which were being used to convey the loot.
"The suspects were intercepted by the Ferret Squad on patrol at Musetshe area.
"They were travelling in two vehicles with the truck carrying 90 boxes of Servilles while the minibus loaded with 14 boxes of Remmington Gold cigarettes destined for South Africa," he said.
Chief Supt Chinhengo said the driver of the minibus took to his heels when the two vehicles had been stopped by police and was still at large.
He said they had since charged Siziba with smuggling and that both his vehicle and the cigarettes were seized by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.
"We are still pursuing the other suspect. As police we would also want to warn other criminals who are involved in similar activities that the long arm of the law will catch up with them. We have intensified patrols and we will not tolerate lawlessness along the boundary line," he said.
Siziba was hauled to the courts today where Mr Innocent Bepura fined him $750.
If the accused defaults he risks imprisonment for 12 months.
The smuggling of cigarettes has been on the increase especially to countries that are outside the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) because they are levied high amounts on excise duty as compared to the union members which are Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
Reports also indicate that these cigarettes are repackaged in South Africa before being exported to Asia and other European countries.
A box of export quality cigarettes is sold for between $100 and $114 on the official market in the country. Dealers sell it for a street value of R1500 on the black market and goes for R6000 on the South African illegal market (especially Cape Town).
The police officer commanding Beitbridge district Chief Superintendent Lawrence Chinhengo said they arrested Barry Siziba (31) of Dulibadzimu suburb on Monday morning in connection with the smuggling of 104 boxes of assorted cigarettes.
He said they had also impounded two vehicles a Toyota Toyace truck and a Toyota minibus which were being used to convey the loot.
"The suspects were intercepted by the Ferret Squad on patrol at Musetshe area.
"They were travelling in two vehicles with the truck carrying 90 boxes of Servilles while the minibus loaded with 14 boxes of Remmington Gold cigarettes destined for South Africa," he said.
Chief Supt Chinhengo said the driver of the minibus took to his heels when the two vehicles had been stopped by police and was still at large.
"We are still pursuing the other suspect. As police we would also want to warn other criminals who are involved in similar activities that the long arm of the law will catch up with them. We have intensified patrols and we will not tolerate lawlessness along the boundary line," he said.
Siziba was hauled to the courts today where Mr Innocent Bepura fined him $750.
If the accused defaults he risks imprisonment for 12 months.
The smuggling of cigarettes has been on the increase especially to countries that are outside the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) because they are levied high amounts on excise duty as compared to the union members which are Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
Reports also indicate that these cigarettes are repackaged in South Africa before being exported to Asia and other European countries.
A box of export quality cigarettes is sold for between $100 and $114 on the official market in the country. Dealers sell it for a street value of R1500 on the black market and goes for R6000 on the South African illegal market (especially Cape Town).
Source - herald
