Customs seize explosives and illegal cigarettes at Beitbridge

Customs officials at the Beitbridge border post intercepted explosives and illicit cigarettes last week.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) said that customs officers had intercepted a foreign-registered panel van travelling from Zimbabwe to South Africa in a random search on Thursday.

“During the search‚ officers found two bags that were left unattended in the panel van. When the driver was questioned about the bags‚ he claimed to not know who the owner was‚” SARS said.

Customs officers searched the bags and found 300 units of suspected cables of explosives valued at about R75‚000.

The police and its bomb squad were called in to identify the explosives. The Zimbabwean national was arrested and the explosives were handed over to the police.

On Saturday‚ customs officers found 3‚997 hidden cartons of Pacific Blue cigarettes with an estimated street value of R966‚915 hidden in 40 bags.

“The bags belonged to a passenger who is a Zimbabwean national. The goods were declared to customs officers as 500 brooms packed in 40 bags in the bus trailer. Upon physical inspection‚ it was discovered that illicit cigarettes were concealed under the brooms.”

The passenger was arrested.