Two Cigarette Smugglers Arrested in Limpopo Anti-Smuggling Raid

Polokwane – A 31-year-old South African man and a 28-year-old Zimbabwean woman are set to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo following their arrest for trafficking illegal cigarettes and breaching the Immigration Act.

The pair, detained during an anti-smuggling operation, will go before the court on Wednesday, 27 August 2025.

Describing the arrest, police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba remarked: “On the morning of Tuesday, 26 August 2025, members of the Limpopo Tracking Team, Provincial Intervention Unit, and Tshimollo Security and Investigation acted on intelligence regarding a vehicle transporting illicit goods from Beitbridge to Polokwane.

“The silver Toyota Corolla fitting the description was found on the N1 North, and after a high-speed chase, it was intercepted near the Mall of the North.

“A search uncovered 19 master cases and 47 cartons of Remington Gold illegal cigarettes, estimated to be worth around R120,000.”

Colonel Ledwaba noted that the vehicle has been seized and will be forfeited to the State in accordance with the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 29 of 2004.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, praised the collaboration of law enforcement agencies during the anti-smuggling initiative, calling it a “success.”

The South African Revenue Service estimates that the country loses approximately R30 billion in revenue annually due to the illicit trade of smuggled cigarettes and liquor.