2 SANDF Officers and Foreign National Caught With Illicit Cigarettes, Arrested
- Two SANDF members along with an undocumented foreign national were arrested after allegedly transporting illicit cigarettes
- According to the SAPS, the three individuals were travelling near the Beitbridge border post where the SAPS received information
- Police revealed that the information they received was about an army vehicle loaded with illicit cigarettes that were expected to be sent to an anonymous buyer
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Two South African National Defence Force members aged 27 and 38 years old were found with an undocumented 30-year-old foreign national allegedly transporting illicit cigarettes in an army vehicle.
The trio are expected to appear before the Musina Magistrate's Court on 21 June. They were arrested on 18 June for allegedly transporting the cigarettes. SAPS stated that they received information about an army vehicle which was allegedly loaded with illegal
Police present at Beitbridge were given information regarding a loaded Army vehicle loaded with illicit cigarettes scheduled to be sent to an anonymous buyer near Musina. They then responded by setting up a stop and search operation next to the Baobab Truck Park.
Source: Getty Images
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The described Army vehicle was sighted at the stop and search and was pulled over. A pair of uniformed Soldiers accompanied by a civilian dressed in the Army jacket stepped out of the vehicle.
The amount of cigarettes found
The vehicle was then put through a search resulting in the discovery of 12 boxes of illicit cigarettes amounting to R160 000.00 in the back of the searched vehicle. The civilian was instantly placed under arrest however the armed soldiers aledgedly became confrontational and resisted the arrested. The police proceded to confiscated the vehicle.
Following the arrest the soldiers were taken to the police station by their Commander prior to being detained.
Briefly News compiled a few of the responses below
Sandiso Yisaki said:
"It's quiet clear those entrusted to manned our borders are working hand in hand with criminals both inside & outside of the country."
Zingisa Manyela wrote:
"This country is cursed who are we suppose to trust as our own government is busy implementing a bill to disarm innocent citizens while security forces re working hand in hand with criminals."
Richard Munwanati stated:
"Our law forces are disgrace, how do they fight criminals activity while promoting it."
Hawks on the hunt for man
Previously, Briefly News reported the Hawks’ SA Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (SANEB) division says it is on the hunt for Ahmed Isa, aged 41, in connection with a drug bust that took place in Pretoria earlier this month.
Police arrested Niel Pieter van Zyl after intercepting a bakkie towing a ski boat containing 800kg of cocaine on the N1 Highway in Pretoria, according to SABC News. Isa evaded arrest when three other suspects in connection with the cocaine haul were arrested in Cape Town on 12 June.
The suspects Rafiek Baderoen, 44, Rashied Baderoen, 48, and Michael Norman, 38 were arrested after they were linked to the Gauteng drug bust.
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Source: Briefly News
