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The Ficksburg Magistrates’ Court in the Free State has sentenced a man caught red-handed smuggling illicit cigarette worth millions of rands on the Lesotho-Free State border. The court sentenced Mahmad Asif Ahmed Shaikh (41) on Tuesday, 17 April, based on the strength of evidence presented of dealing in illegal cigarettes.
Col Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said the court found the illicit cigarettes trafficker guilty of contravention of the Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964. He said the court sentenced Shaikh to a fine of R150 000 or five-year imprisonment, of which half (R75 000 or three years) was suspended.
According to Mohobeleli, illegal cigarette products to an estimated value of R1,6 million were discovered during the police’s searching the accused’s house. He said the search was conducted following his arrest when crossing at the Ficksburg port of entry on 27 April 2022.
Mohobeleli said authorities that include members of the South African police and customs officials of the South African Revue Services (Sars) were conducting their duties at the Ficksburg port of entry when they discovered the cigarettes inside the boot of a vehicle Shaikh was driving, after conducting a stop-and-search.
“They stopped and searched a black vehicle, and then found cigarettes inside the boot which Shaikh had failed to declare in line with customs prescripts. This led officers to his house in Ficksburg where more illegal cigarettes estimated to value R1,6 million were found,” said Mohobeleli. He said the matter was probed by the Bethlehem Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team, culminating with the sentencing of Shaikh.
Mohobeleli said the condition of Shaikh’s suspended sentencing is that he is not found guilty of the same crime during the period of suspension.
