Police in Limpopo arrested 49-year-old Anolt Tafa, a foreign national, for the charges of contravention of the Medicines and Related Substances Act as well as the Customs and Excise Act after he was allegedly found with a consignment of skin lightening creams heading into South Africa.
Tafa has appeared before the Musina Magistrate’s Court where he was remanded in police custody.
“The police received intelligence about a truck travelling from Zimbabwe to South Africa loaded with prohibited cosmetic products (skin lightening creams). A sting operation was conducted,” said Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa, Limpopo provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks.
The law enforcement team thoroughly searched for the truck, and it was found abandoned inside the SA Revenue Service’s customs import yard at Beitbridge port of entry.
“A vehicle was parked in front of that truck to prevent it from being moved. The operational members continued with observation,” said Mmuroa.
On Friday last week, Tafa the driver went to the truck and he was found asleep in the vehicle by police.
The law enforcement agents requested the driver to open the tarpaulin on the truck, and he complied.
Mmuroa said illicit cosmetic products in the form of 48 boxes containing 144 items of Caro Light Oil; 1,614 boxes containing 72 items of Caro Light Cream in 120 millilitres; 348 boxes containing 48 items Caro Light Cream in 300 millilitres; 300 boxes containing 48 items of Perfect White cream in 150 millilitres; and 280 boxes containing 24 items of Perfect White Cream in 300 millilitres were unearthed.
“The products were estimated to the value of over R960,000. The driver was unable to produce valid documents as required by the officers. Preliminary investigations established that no customs declaration documents were available for the consignment,” he said.
Tafa was immediately placed under arrest.
The case docket was registered at Musina police station and transferred to the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation for further handling.
“Both truck and prohibited cosmetic products were seized. The Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation is continuing with investigations,” said Mmuroa.
Meanwhile, provincial head of the Hawks in Limpopo, Major General Gopz Govender has welcomed the arrest and seizing of the illicit cosmetics.
He added that the Hawks will not sleep until the transnational crime is eliminated.
IOL