Makhado (Louis Trichardt) police made an interesting discovery last Tuesday when they pulled over an oil tanker along the N1 south.

Reacting to a tip-off, police waited for the oil tanker at the N1/Elim-turn-off. They were informed that this heavy vehicle was carrying everything but oil. The truck was apparently on its way back from Zimbabwe.

The police’s long wait was rewarded during the early evening hours of February 13, when they spotted the truck travelling towards them. Shortly afterwards, the truck was ordered to pull over and a police officer climbed on top of the tanker and opened one of the hatches.

And what a discovery they made! Inside the container was not a drop of oil, but it was loaded to the brim with boxes. Upon opening one of the boxes, police officers found it full of cartons of illegal cigarettes

According to Insp Ndwamato Vele, local police spokesperson, the driver and all four his passengers were arrested on the scene and charged with illegal cigarette smuggling. It is believed that the driver was earning a bit of extra money on the side by smuggling cigarettes through the border post.

Insp. Vele told the Zoutpansberger that this was a major find and in total, some 19 000 cartons of illegal cigarettes were confiscated. The total value of the cigarettes is said to be in the region of just over R1,6 million.

Apart from the cigarettes which were confiscated, the oil tanker was also impounded by the South African Receiver of Revenue in Polokwane. At the time of going to press, the owner of the truck was yet to be informed of the incident involving his truck.

The driver and his four passengers, Cloud Makumira (26), Castern Ncube (29), Iawanda Nelethadzo (28), Give Muhlanga (29) and Maxwell Chikumbi, all from Zimbabwe, appeared in the Makhado (Louis Trichardt) magistrate’s court on Thursday, February 15. Their case was postponed until Thursday, February 22. In the meantime, the suspects remain in custody.