Johannesburg - Four men, suspected to be kingpins in the illicit cigarette trade, have appeared in court in connection with dealing in illegal cigarettes worth more than R1.5 million, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said on Friday.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Robert Netshiunda said two of the four men, Mohmed Soyeb Mulla, 43, and Farid Goolam Hoosen Hatia, 50, were arrested in Welkom in the Free State on Wednesday.
“They were found with 175 master cases and 43 cartons of illegal cigarettes valued at R1.5 million.”
Netshiunda said they had appeared at the Welkom Magistrate’s Court on Thursday and were granted bail of R100 000 and R30 000 bail respectively, and ordered to surrender their passports, while a further bail condition was that they had to report to the Welkom police station twice a week.
Two other men, Zafar Iqbal, 39, and Waqas Muhammed, 25, were “stopped on their tracks during a deliberate stop and search operation in Bloemfontein”, Netshiunda said.
“The two were found with five master cases as well as 45 cartons of illicit cigarettes valued at R50 000.”
Netshiunda said the duo’s panel van vehicle was also seized and they appeared at the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday to face charges of Contravening the Section 80 of the Custom and Excise Act.
“They were released on R7 000 bail each and their case was postponed to Monday, 08 February 2016.”
Mulla and Hatia will be in the dock on 18 March 2016, Netshiunda added.
African News Agency
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