A truck owner suspected that his truck was being used for illicit purposes and this was confirmed when two suspects were arrested in Kraaifontein, Cape Town, on Friday afternoon for possessing khat and smuggling cigarettes which contravenes the Disaster Management Act.
The cigarettes and drugs that were possessed by the suspects worth almost R2m.
Western Cape police spokesperson, Sgt Noloyiso Rwexana said the truck owner was investigating an unscheduled stop of his truck in Arcadia Road in Joostenbergvlakte, there he spotted three suspects in a VW Caddy offloading boxes from the truck.
“The suspects fled on foot upon his arrival. SAPS were notified and a search of the truck and the VW Caddy were conducted. This search led to the discovery of 298 bundles of khat valued at R17,880 and 32,000 packets of cigarettes valued at R1.92m,” Rwexana said.
A 36-year-old man who was the truck driver was arrested.
“While still on the scene a 54-year-old suspect in a LDV was stopped by police, and further investigation led to his arrest as he was implicated in the crime,” Rwexana said.
The two suspects are expected to appear before the court on Monday.
However, the police has been able to handle several cases of illegal possession and smuggling of cigarette since the alcohol ban was put in place.
