Cops Allegedly Caught Escorting Illegal Cigarettes, Sparks Call for Probe Into Black Market Tobacco Trade

• Illegal cigarettes worth about R12 million in tax value were allegedly being escorted while being transported by police officers in Limpopo
• Tax Justice SA (TJSA) believes the incident proves that authorities have lost control and called for accountability
• The large shipment allegedly contained tons of Remington Gold cigarettes, which are produced in Zimbabwe and for which tax had not been paid

LIMPOPO - A large shipment of illicit cigarettes was allegedly escorted by police officers on Monday, 30 January.

Half a million packs of cigarettes were allegedly found in a gas tanker and a truck in Marble Hall with a tax value of about R12 million. One of the vehicles leading the shipment allegedly belongs to the Hawks.

Tax Justice SA (TJSA) believes the incident proved that authorities have lost control in the country. The organisation’s founder, Yusuf Abramjee, said that the trade of illegal tobacco is brazenly operating outside the law.

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“We urgently need a national inquiry into South Africa’s cigarette industry and the enforcement agencies meant to control it. Corrupt cops have been repeatedly implicated in the illicit tobacco trade that is robbing Mzansi of R20 billion a year,” he said.

TJSA calls for accountability as cops allegedly bust escorting cigarettes

According to Abramjee, the shipment allegedly contained Remington Gold cigarettes, which are produced in Zimbabwe. Tax had not been paid on the products. He added that the SA Revenue Service and police must account for their failure to tackle the problem.

Meanwhile, IOL recently reported that due to the illicit cigarette trade, British American Tobacco South Africa (BAT South Africa) was forced to reduce its staff drastically. The group announced that is planning a restructuring that may leave 200 people out of jobs.

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6 Beitbridge police officers to appear in court after being arrested for helping cigarette smugglers

Briefly News also reported that six members of the SA Police Service were nabbed on corruption charges after being found guilty of allowing criminals to smuggle illicit cigarettes into the country.

The accused reportedly allowed the smugglers a safe passage from Zimbabwe into South Africa in exchange for bribes.

According to TimesLIVE, the police confirmed the incident saying that the arrests were made after years of investigations. Per the publication, Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said the investigation began following tipoffs from public members concerned about the officers deployed in the Beitbridge area.

Source: Briefly News