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South African police have arrested six suspects for smuggling cigarettes to that country through its borders with Zimbabwe and Botswana during the past week and recovered cigarettes worth more than R1 million in three separate incidents.

A suspect who was on bail for armed robbery and another who was using a stolen car to transport stolen cigarettes, were among those arrested.

Limpopo Police spokesperson Colonel Ronel Otto said the first incident occurred in Maake area where two suspects were arrested after they robbed a representative from a tobacco company delivering cigarettes to a shop at Burgersdorp twice in a week.

“Information was followed up and with the assistance of a security company, two suspects were arrested and cigarettes to the value of more than R500,000 as well as an unlicensed firearm were confiscated.

“Eric Makwala, 38, and Cliff Ngwenya, 34, appeared in the Naphuno Magistrates’ Court at Maake on Wednesday and the case of armed robbery was remanded to November 3, for a formal bail application.

“Further investigations have revealed that Ngwenya is on bail for a similar offence committed at Seshego earlier this year,” she said.

Col Otto said the second incidents occurred in Musina at the weekend where three Zimbabweans were arrested by South African soldiers who were on patrol along the two countries’ borderline.

She said the soldiers spotted the trio in a suspicious looking vehicle and then conducted a search leading to the discovery of several cartons of cigarettes which had been smuggled through the Limpopo River.

“They discovered illegal cigarettes to the value of almost R200,000 and arrested three suspects. Moyo Leonard, 28, Ndlovu Tongai, 29, and Senda Ambassador, 25, will appear in the Musina Magistrates’ Court later this week,” said Col Otto.

She said they also arrested one suspect at their border with Botswana, Groblersbrug Border Post on Monday morning whom they found with Remmington gold cigarettes worth R500,000.

Col Otto said the suspect Jan Petrus Jacobs from Levubu was intercepted by alert police officers who were suspicious about the load in his vehicle.

“A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of the smuggled cigarettes and arrest of Jacobs. Further investigations also revealed that the vehicle he was using was reported stolen from Welgelegen, Polokwane in June of this year. Jacobs appeared in the Mokopane Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and the case was remanded to 30 October for further investigation. He remains in custody,” she said.

It is understood that the South African Revenue Services charges high rates on cigarettes imports which has resulted in a marked increase in cases of smuggling between Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Investigations by the Chronicle reveal that most of these cigarettes are repackaged when they get to South Africa before being shipped to either Europe or Asia.

A box of cigarettes is sold for an average of $135 on the official market (Zimbabwe) and R8,000 (about $800) in South Africa.

According to a report by the South African Revenue Services (SARS) last year, Beitbridge border post accounts for 70 percent of the tobacco contraband in the neighbouring country – Agencies/Chronicle Reporter