A routine response to a traffic accident on a provincial road has led to the discovery of illicit cigarettes valued at approximately R570,000 and the arrest of a 45 year old man, South African police said on Wednesday.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday afternoon on the R81 road outside Giyani, a town in the Limpopo province, when officers from the Giyani Visible Policing unit were dispatched to a collision scene. Upon arrival, they found that multiple vehicles involved in the crash appeared to be traveling together.
While emergency medical personnel were tending to the scene, they noticed suspected illicit cigarettes inside one of the vehicles and immediately alerted the police.
When Visible Policing officers arrived, supported by the Provincial Organised Crime Unit, they found three vehicles at the scene: a navy blue Volkswagen SUV and two white Toyota Corollas, all believed to be linked to the same incident. Three African male suspects were present.
As police approached to begin their investigation, one suspect fled on foot. A manhunt is currently underway for the individual, who remains at large. The two other suspects remained at the scene.
A subsequent search of the vehicles yielded a substantial quantity of illicit cigarettes. The contraband was discovered inside the Volkswagen SUV and one of the Toyota Corollas. The second Toyota Corolla was found empty; its driver claimed he had only come to assist a relative involved in the crash.
Police arrested the 45-year-old suspect and charged him with possession of illicit cigarettes. He is expected to appear before the Giyani Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. All three vehicles have been seized by the state for further investigation.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, praised the vigilance of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel. “Their alertness and swift response were crucial,” Lt. Gen. Hadebe said in a statement. “It led directly to this successful arrest and the recovery of a large quantity of illicit cigarettes that were destined for illegal distribution.”
Police investigations are continuing.