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SA soldiers, Zimbabweans arrested over cigarette
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Five members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), including a female soldier, together with two undocumented Zimbabwean nationals, are set to appear before the Musina Magistrate's Court tomorrow, 18 September 2025. The group faces multiple charges including corruption, possession of illicit cigarettes, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and defeating the ends of justice.
The suspects, aged between 26 and 42, were arrested on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, during a joint operation conducted by the SAPS Limpopo Beitbridge Task Team in collaboration with Military Intelligence.
According to authorities, the arrests stem from an incident earlier that day at Artonvilla, along the first Malaladrift road near the Limpopo River. The soldiers and their accomplices allegedly conspired to intercept and steal a consignment of illicit cigarettes being smuggled into South Africa.
Police reported that shots were fired during the confrontation, forcing the smugglers to abandon 24 boxes of illicit cigarettes. Six additional boxes were later recovered hidden inside a temporary military camp.
The case highlights growing concerns over the involvement of law enforcement and military personnel in cross-border smuggling syndicates operating between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The suspects, aged between 26 and 42, were arrested on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, during a joint operation conducted by the SAPS Limpopo Beitbridge Task Team in collaboration with Military Intelligence.
Police reported that shots were fired during the confrontation, forcing the smugglers to abandon 24 boxes of illicit cigarettes. Six additional boxes were later recovered hidden inside a temporary military camp.
The case highlights growing concerns over the involvement of law enforcement and military personnel in cross-border smuggling syndicates operating between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Source - Byo24News
