By AGISANANG SCUFF
29 August 2025- A truck driver (36) was arrested for transporting illicit cigarettes worth R4 million. The suspect was arrested at the Ventersdorp Weighbridge.
The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng said a white truck traveling from Pretoria to Kuruman in Northern Cape was stopped on N14 as part of the normal operation by officers. Morweng said upon inspection of the vehicle and requiring information on the loaded cargo, the law enforcement officer discovered that the truck was loaded with 350 boxes of what turned out to be illicit cigarettes, worth street value of just above R4 500 000.
“The cigarettes are allegedly manufactured in neighbouring Mozambique and distributed by a company based in Lenasia in south of Johannesburg.
“The driver was immediately arrested and taken to the Ventersdorp Police Station for processing. We want to applaud the law enforcement officers for being vigilant and stamping authority,” he said.
Morweng further said the law enforcement officers have done a good job. He added that is an indication that they are intolerant of any deviancy in the province.
“These illicit cigarettes are killing our economy and are dangerous to the people. This is the third time that a cargo of illicit cigarettes was seized in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District on N14 and N12 in the last three weeks.
“We call on law enforcement to ensure that loaded vehicles passing through all major roads in the province are being thoroughly checked. If this trend persists, then we will have to increase the presence of law enforcement on these roads and maybe even increase regularity of joint operations,” said Morweng.
The Guardian 