BETHLEHEM – Two foreign nationals were arrested and illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R7.8 million were seized during a police operation in Morelig on Friday.

Members of Bethlehem Public Order Policing Platoon 3 were deployed for crime prevention duties in the Bethlehem and Bohlokong areas on 8 May 2026.

At approximately 08:30, while conducting vehicle patrols in the Bethlehem CBD, the team received an intelligence tip-off about suspected illicit goods stored at a plot in Morelig.

The members proceeded to storage units in Morelig where they intercepted a man 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. The storage unit contained 152 boxes of illicit cigarettes with an estimated street value of R3.5 million.

The two foreign nationals, aged 27 and 28, were arrested at the scene for possession of illicit cigarettes.

The suspects are expected to appear in the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court soon. Investigations are ongoing to determine the origin and intended destination of the consignment.