Police have seized illicit cigarettes worth about R600,000 after a high-speed chase through the streets of Polokwane, in what authorities describe as part of a wider crackdown on illegal tobacco trade in Limpopo.
The dramatic pursuit unfolded on Wednesday when members of the Provincial Flying Squad responded to information about a suspicious vehicle driving recklessly along Thabo Mbeki Street.
Officers tracked the vehicle as it sped through Church Street and Mandela Drive before it eventually stopped on Percy Fyfe Road. The occupants abandoned the vehicle and fled into nearby bushes, evading arrest.
But when police searched the car, they found a large consignment of illicit Remington Gold cigarettes. No arrests have yet been made in connection with the Polokwane seizure, and investigations are ongoing.
In a separate incident on the same day, police arrested a 32-year-old man in Shongoane 2 village, within the Villa Nora policing area in Waterberg District. He was found in possession of 42 cartons of Remington Gold Blue cigarettes, with an estimated street value of R8,200.
The suspect has been charged with possession and dealing in illicit cigarettes and is expected to appear in the local Magistrate’s Court.
Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the operations form part of ongoing efforts to curb the spread of illicit cigarettes in the province.
Authorities say the illegal trade continues to undermine legitimate businesses and deprive the state of tax revenue. Police have not ruled out further arrests as investigations continue into the source and distribution networks behind the seized cigarettes.
