Crackdown on cigarettes smuggling continues between SA and Zimbabwe

Security agencies from South Africa and Zimbabwe are intensifying their efforts to combat the smuggling of cigarettes between the two countries, a trade that is significantly undermining revenue collection by authorities.

In a recent operation, Limpopo police intercepted a 40-year-old migrant suspected of dealing in contraband tobacco products smuggled from Zimbabwe. The arrest took place in the Mopani policing area, where the suspect was found selling illicit cigarettes from a tuckshop in Nkuzana village, Hlanganani.

Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malasela Ledwaba confirmed the arrest, stating that the suspect is expected to appear soon before Hlanganai Magistrate's Court on charges of possession of illegal cigarettes. He said that on Sunday, 6 July 2025, members of the Mopani task team conducted a search at the premises, seizing boxes of illicit cigarettes with a street value of approximately R13,700.

Col Ledwaba emphasized that police have stepped up operations to curb this recurring crime, which has become a perennial challenge in the region.

It is estimated that about 30 percent of cigarettes consumed in South Africa originate from Zimbabwe. Popular brands involved in the smuggling include Pacific, Remington Gold, Mega, Dullahs, Branson, and Servilles. The trade is complicated by South Africa's high excise duty rates on tobacco products, making it difficult for Zimbabwean exporters to enter the formal South African market.

The cross-border smuggling of cigarettes continues to pose a serious threat to government revenues and calls for enhanced collaboration between law enforcement agencies in both countries to tackle the illicit trade.