Illegal cigarette shipment seized at Keetmanshoop

CUSTOMS and Excise officials at Keetmanshoop yesterday thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of cigarettes across the southern border.

The officials seized around 1 million cigarettes concealed in a consignment of firewood on a truck, belonging to Invo Transport CC. The truck’s driver, Otto Basser (37), told The Namibian that the firewood and cigarettes were loaded at the farm Appelblaar in the Omitara district.According to him, he was unaware of the cigarettes concealed in the load.The truck was on its way to South Africa.The owners of Invo Transport, brothers Ingo and Volker Ahrim, also denied any knowledge of the concealed cigarettes when contacted for comment.The Customs and Excise Chief at Keetmanshoop, Patrick Tongo, yesterday ascribed the seizure to “good intelligence work”.He said the cigarettes would be tested to determine whether they were counterfeit or not.Tongo said the documentation for the firewood was in order and the driver would be allowed to continue his trip – minus the cigarettes.The truck’s driver, Otto Basser (37), told The Namibian that the firewood and cigarettes were loaded at the farm Appelblaar in the Omitara district.According to him, he was unaware of the cigarettes concealed in the load.The truck was on its way to South Africa.The owners of Invo Transport, brothers Ingo and Volker Ahrim, also denied any knowledge of the concealed cigarettes when contacted for comment.The Customs and Excise Chief at Keetmanshoop, Patrick Tongo, yesterday ascribed the seizure to “good intelligence work”.He said the cigarettes would be tested to determine whether they were counterfeit or not.Tongo said the documentation for the firewood was in order and the driver would be allowed to continue his trip – minus the cigarettes.