A 47-year-old Zimbabwean national has appeared in court after he was allegedly caught entering South Africa at the Beitbridge border with illicit cigarettes valued at more than R21 million.
Peter Tambudze appeared in Musina Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo on Thursday where he is facing charges of fraud, false declaration, and possession of illicit cigarettes.
The matter was postponed to 14 February for a formal bail application.
It is alleged that on 19 January, Tambudze arrived at the Beitbridge border post from Zimbabwe.
He was driving a truck with two trailers.
“He declared on the SAD 500/Entry form that he is transporting cotton,” Limpopo National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said.
“Along the way from Musina, police officers stopped the truck and searched it. They found that the truck was loaded with illicit cigarettes worth over R21 million, and he was arrested.”
https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/man-arrested-at-beitbridge-border-for-allegedly-smuggling-illicit-cigarettes-worth-r21m-into-sa-20230209