R1,1m cigarettes smuggler intercepted at Beitbridge

A 37-year-old smuggler from Harare was last Friday fined $3 000 after he was intercepted by police while smuggling a contraband of export quality cigarettes worth R1,1 million ($90 000) to South Africa through the Beitbridge Border Post.

Gift Vindu of 9927 Budiriro 5, Harare, was intercepted last Thursday with 669 boxes of cigarettes, which he was transporting in a South Africa-registered truck.

Vindu was convicted on his own plea of guilt when he appeared before Mr Godswill Mavenge, charged for contravening a section of the Customs and Excise Act.

The contraband was forfeited to the State as part of the sentence.

Vindu was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment with an option of a $3 000 fine; a further 12 months of the sentence were conditionally suspended for five years.

The prosecutor Mr Jabulani Mberesi told the court that Vindu acquired 669 boxes of cigarettes without an export licence, which he intended to smuggle into South Africa.

He said the cigarettes included 174 boxes Servilles, 60 Derby, 140 Chelsea, 195 Remmington Gold and 100 Pacific.

Vindu was intercepted in the Matshiloni area, some 50 kilometres along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Road soon after loading the contraband into the truck. Upon interception, he was asked to produce documents authorising him to deal in export cigarettes but he did not have the authorisation.