A 20-year-old Zimbabwean national arrested in connection with possession of illicit cigarettes in Makhado residential area under Vhembe District was remanded in custody when he appeared before the Makhado Magistrate court on Monday 10 June 2024.
David Taladza had his case remanded until next week, Tuesday 18 June 2024, for bail application and further police investigations.
The suspect was apprehended by the members of Limpopo Highway Patrol together with other Units after acting on Intelligence.
He was found in possession of illicit cigarettes worth thousands of rands on Sunday 09 June 2024.
According to reports members acted on valuable information provided about a house that was used as a storage for illicit cigarettes and motor vehicles utilized to transport consignment in Makhado residential area.
Police went to the premises and found the gate locked with three motor vehicles parked inside the yard. Suddenly a black Audi TT motor vehicle was allegedly driven to the house, and upon noticing the police, it made a U-turn and sped off at high speed. Police chased the motor vehicle until it lost control and fell in the ditch.
Two unknown males got off and ran into the nearby bushes to evade an arrest. The motor vehicle was searched, and police found one firearm and hunting rifle that were subsequently impounded together with the motor vehicle.
While busy at the scene, they received information about one of the identified motor vehicles that was traveling along the N1 freeway from Makhado and heading to the direction of Polokwane. Police followed up the information to locate the motor vehicle until it led them to a rental residence in Siyabuswa policing area, Mpumalanga province.
Upon arrival at the premises, police found two male foreign nationals. During the search, police discovered one thousand four hundred and fifteen cartoons containing illicit cigarettes that were concealed in one of the rented rooms.
The duo aged 33 and 38 could not provide a satisfactory explanation about the origin of the illicit cigarettes and they were immediately arrested for possession of illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R250 000-00.
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The same team while driving back to Polokwane, they received another information about the suspects who returned to the house at Makhado residence and were busy moving the illicit cigarettes. Police acted swiftly and rushed to the scene of crime and found a 20 year-old male suspect who was also nabbed for possession of four hundred cartoons of illicit cigarettes and two tower batteries
The case of the other two suspects are being investigated by the Siyabuswa Police in Mpumalanga province.
Police investigations are continuing.
