
A 48-year-old man was apprehended by Bela-Bela police on Thursday, 16 January 2025, after a tip-off from a community member led to the discovery of a large stash of illicit cigarettes. The suspect was found in possession of 155 cartons and 270 loose packets of illicit cigarettes, valued at over R17,000, in a White Hyundai Accent motor vehicle.
Acting on the information, police swiftly located the vehicle along the R101 public road, next to a filling station, and conducted a search with the suspect’s permission. Preliminary investigations suggest that the illicit cigarettes were smuggled from Musina in the Vhembe District and were destined for Pretoria in the Gauteng province.
The suspect was arrested for possession of illicit cigarettes and is expected to appear in the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court soon. Police investigations are ongoing.