POLOKWANE – Two members of the South African National Defence Force aged 27 and 38 together with an undocumented foreign National aged 30 will appear in Musina magistrate court on Monday 21 June 2021 after they were arrested yesterday, 18 June 2021 for allegedly transporting illicit cigarettes in the Army vehicle.

The police at Beitbridge received information about an Army vehicle which was loaded with illicit cigarettes which were to be delivered to an unidentified buyer around Musina. They then reacted by staging a stop and search operation next to the Baobab Truck Park along the N1 road north of Musina.

The Army vehicle fitting the description given approached and the members pulled it over. Two uniformed Soldiers and a civilian wearing the Army jacket disembarked from the vehicle. The vehicle was then searched and 12 boxes of illicit cigarettes to the value of R160 000-00 were found packed in the back of the said vehicle.

The civilian was immediately arrested but the armed soldiers reportedly became confrontational and refused to be arrested. The police then confiscated the said vehicle.

The soldiers were later brought to the police station by their Commander and were then detained. They will be charged with possession of illicit cigarettes, defeating the ends of Justice and resisting arrest. The other suspect will be charged with impersonating SANDF members and contravening the Immigration Act.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has commended the members for their swift reaction to the information provided which led to these arrests.

Source: South Africa Police Service