A major bust in Nelspruit has ended with a 45-year-old Bangladeshi asylum seeker being arrested and illicit cigarettes worth an estimated R1.5 million seized. The Hawks’ serious commercial crime unit, local crime intelligence, and SARS Customs all worked together to make the operation a success.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, the joint task team followed up on intelligence about illegal cigarette trading in West Acres, Nelspruit.
Inside the accused’s supermarket, authorities found master boxes of various cigarette brands. Nkosi said the suspect couldn’t produce any paperwork proving he bought them legally or paid the required taxes.
He now faces multiple charges, including:
Mpumalanga Hawks boss, Major General Nico Gerber, praised the operation, saying it’s a major setback for illegal traders. He pointed out that the country is losing massive tax revenue because of the underground cigarette economy.
The suspect is scheduled to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court soon.
Takeaway: This arrest highlights the ongoing fight against illicit trade in South Africawhere smuggling isn’t just a crime, but also a serious drain on public finances.
If you like, I can also look into how much tax revenue South Africa loses annually from illicit cigarettes and how big this problem really is.
