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The report said that the Portuguese writing seen on most of the illicit cigarettes available during the shutdown led to the assumption that most of them came from Mozambique, but there were also brands that apparently came from France and China.
The smugglers used existing smuggling channels, including secret compartments in trucks and vehicles that were allowed into the country.
“A Cape Town gang member who sold cigarettes during this time claims that his shares were obtained from Namibia. Some gangs also allegedly acquired stocks of ships docked in Cape Town’s port, ”the report reveals.
Lesotho has also been identified as a country of origin or transit, with shipments seized along its border with the Eastern Cape.
“These examples illustrate that there are multiple entry points for illegal cigarettes, with apparently few obstacles that operators face.”
The chances of smugglers getting caught appeared to be slim, with smugglers paying bribes to law enforcement officials. In some cases, the police officers themselves were found trying to smuggle the illicit products.
TimesLIVE
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