A 45-year-old Zimbabwean national has been remanded in custody after allegedly attempting to smuggle manufactured tobacco worth approximately R3.8 million through the Groblersbrug Port of Entry in Limpopo.
Shumba Munetsi was arrested by South African Police Service (SAPS) Border Policing members on Monday, 24 August 2026, after officers stopped a Volvo truck towing an LP gas trailer entering South Africa.
Police became suspicious during an inspection after discovering a concealed hatch underneath the trailer. A search of the hidden compartment uncovered 521 plastic bags containing approximately 7 294 kilograms of suspected manufactured tobacco.
The suspected tobacco is estimated to be worth R3.8 million, while the Volvo truck and LP gas trailer were also seized, with a combined estimated value of R1.8 million.
Munetsi appeared before the Phalala Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 26 August, where the matter was postponed to Monday, 31 August, for a formal bail application. He remains in custody.
Police investigations are continuing to establish the origin and intended destination of the suspected illicit tobacco and whether other individuals may be linked to the alleged smuggling operation.
Limpopo Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Petrus Scheepers commended the Border Policing members for their vigilance and reiterated that SAPS will continue intensifying operations at ports of entry to disrupt the smuggling of illicit goods and organised criminal activity.
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