Enforcing a law that many people don't believe in Police seize 50 boxes of illicit cigarettes    

Northam/ Thabazimbi – Weekly arrests of people in towns and cities across the country transporting and selling cigarettes has dramatically increased the price of cigarettes. The SAPS were given the difficult task of enforcing a law – which obviously – many people don't believe in. Three suspects were arrested on Tuesday 2 June during two separate incidents in Northam and Thabazimbi, as police in Limpopo continue their operations against illicit cigarettes.

Two of the suspects were arrested along the R510 Thabazimbi-road while the other was nabbed along Alma-road in Northam. In both incidents, the suspects were caught transporting illicit cigarettes.

“One of the vehicles, a white Ford Ranger, was spotted along the R510 road where the suspects were confronted by police,” police spokesperson brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said. “The vehicle was pulled over, searched and 30 boxes of Caspian cigarettes were recovered leading to the arrest of the two suspects,” he added.

In the second incident, a 42-year old suspect was arrested in the Northam policing area. “The vehicle was stopped by the police along Alma-road. The 20 boxes of Caspian cigarettes that were found in the suspect’s possession were seized and he was arrested,” Mojapelo added.

The vehicles that were used by the suspects were also seized and investigations to establish the origin of the illicit cigarettes are underway.