Two South African National Defence Force members aged 27 and 38 years old were found with an undocumented 30-year-old foreign national, allegedly transporting illicit cigarettes in an army vehicle.

Those who have been deployed at the boarders are now working hand in hand to aid smuggling of illicit goods.

In a report that was published today, it stated that members of the South African National Defense Forces SANDF are now working with foreign national cartels to make goods get smuggled into the country.

Two members of the SANDF who are aged 27 and 38 have been arrested with their accomplice who is an undocumented foreign national.

The trio is set to make an appearance at the Musina Magistrate caught on the 21st of June 2021. This follows their arrest which was executed yesterday after they were caught using an army vehicle to transport illicit cigarettes.

An intelligence driven operation was carried out after the members had received information of an army vehicle that was laden with cigarettes which were set to be delivered in Musina to an unidentified buyer.

The information was operationalised and the members went on to conduct roadblocks and stop and search operations on vehicles along the N1 road north of Musina.

A team of officers which was stationed at Baobab Truck Park spotted the army vehicle which was matching the description which had been given.

The members pulled over the vehicle which was matching the description and inside it were two members of the SANDF alongside one civilian who was in an army jacket.

All the occupants disembarked from the vehicle and a search was done. Twelve boxes of cigarettes were found packed at the back of the vehicle and they are worth R160 000.

The soldiers refused to be arrested as they become confrontational while the civilian complied and got arrested immediately.

Police officers confiscated the vehicle which was being used to commit the crime.

Later on that day, the commander of the SANDF members brought them to the police and they are currently in police custody as they are being detained.

The three suspects will be charged with possession of illicit cigarettes, resisting arrest and defeating ends of justice.

The civilian is set to be charged with contravening the Immigration Act and impersonating SANDF members.

The team of police officers who carried out the arrest was hailed for the splendid operation and the swift response which led to positive results.