Police in the Free State arrested two foreign nationals and seized illicit cigarettes valued at approximately R7.8 million during a crime prevention operation on Friday, May 8, 2026.
Members of the SAPS Bethlehem Public Order Policing Platoon 3 were deployed for crime prevention duties in the Bethlehem and Bohlokong areas. At approximately 8:30 a.m., while conducting high-visibility vehicle patrols in the Bethlehem Central Business District, the team received an intelligence-led tip-off regarding a suspected cache of illicit goods stored at a plot in Morelig.
Officers proceeded to a set of storage units in Morelig. Upon arrival, they intercepted a male near a white Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with Gauteng registration plates and an adjacent storeroom.
A search of the vehicle revealed 180 boxes of illicit cigarettes, with an estimated street value of R4.3 million. A subsequent search of the storage unit yielded 152 boxes of illicit cigarettes, valued at approximately R3.5 million.
The total value of the seized contraband is R7.8 million.
Two foreign nationals, aged 27 and 28, were arrested at the scene for possession of illicit cigarettes. They are expected to appear in the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court soon.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the origin and intended destination of the consignment.