SANDF members arrested for alleged illegal transportation of illicit cigarettes
The police at Beitbridge received information about an army vehicle that was loaded with illicit cigarettes which were to be delivered to an unidentified buyer around Musina.
Two members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) aged 27 and 38, together with an undocumented foreign national, aged 30, will appear in Musina magistrate court on Monday after they were arrested on Friday for allegedly transporting illicit cigarettes in an army vehicle.
According to the police's Motlafela Mojapelo, the police at Beitbridge received information about an army vehicle that 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," says Mojapelo.
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The Army vehicle fitting the description given approached and the members pulled it over.
"Two uniformed soldiers and a civilian wearing an army jacket disembarked from the vehicle," says Mojapelo.
"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 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.
