Man held for R3m worth of contraband cigarettes

Johannesburg - A man was arrested after he was found transporting contraband cigarettes, with a street value of R3 million, near Lehurutshe on Wednesday, North West police said.

Police received a tip-off about a truck that passed through the Skilpadshek port of entry late on Tuesday night, said Brigadier Thulani Ngubane.

"The truck was eventually stopped along the N4 road near Lehurutshe and escorted to the police station where it was searched with help from custom officials," Ngubane said.

"At least 480 boxes of Illicit cigarettes estimated to be valued at R3m were found packed in the truck."

The cigarettes were being transported from Windhoek in Namibia to Johannesburg, said Ngubane.

The man, aged 51, is expected to appear in the Lehurutshe Magistrate's Court soon on charges of illicit possession of cigarettes.