South Africa’s relatively quiet border crossing with Botswana at Groblersbrug, north-west of Lephalale (Ellisras) in the Tom Burke region, was the scene of a successful anti-laundering bust by customs control authorities recently.
According to the South African Police Service (Saps) they arrested a 51-year-old man in the stock port section of customs after going through his car in the vehicle search area.
Acting on suspicious-looking luggage, police found R600 000 in cash that the man had attempted to take cross border.
SAPS spokesperson Moatshe Ngoepe confirmed that the suspect had not cleared the money with customs.
The arrest is a significant sign from local law enforcers who have stated they are serious about curbing contraband and the illegal passage of goods and cash through South Africa’s physical boundaries.
In a recent edition of FTW (14 September) it was reported that the smuggling of uncleared goods through border posts such as Beitbridge had increased in frequency because the volume of illicit trade had caused officials to turn a blind eye.
At least one of FTW’s advertisers, a transporter doing over-border freight across SADC, said they had seen how at Lebombo Border Post between South Africa and Mozambique, east of Komatipoort, trucks were simply waved though.
The Groblersbrug arrest, however, gives hope that even when it comes to minor entry and exit points, policing of South Africa’s border is actually being enforced.
