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Illegal cigarettes confiscated in Gauteng
Customs officials from SARS, together with members of SAPS, recovered over 10 million illegal cigarettes in various interventions in Gauteng over the last two weeks.
On 29 July 2011, SARS customs officials recovered approximately 10 million illegal 'Range' cigarettes from a container in Johannesburg and 15 000 illegal 'Dullah's' cigarettes from a reseller in Lenasia. No arrests were made in the former case but a suspect was arrested in the second case.
In Benoni on 1 August 2011, SAPS officers recovered close on 100 000 illegal 'Voyager' cigarettes from a reseller in the area, arresting one suspect was arrested and detaining the stock.
"These arrests are part of several successful interventions this year by SARS and SAPS in a concerted effort to eradicate illicit cigarettes from the market," said Francois van der Merwe, CEO of the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa (TISA).
"Fifteen million illegal cigarettes are sold on a daily basis in South Africa, which at current excise rates deprives the South African economy of tax revenue of more than R2.9 billion per annum."
