Govt loses over P3m in cigarette smuggling

Recently, the British Tobacco Botswana, in collaboration with the Botswana Police Service embarked on an intelligence led operation on the proliferation of illicit tobacco from neighbouring South Africa. Head of the operation, Deputy Sergeant Hendrik Ralefala told Mmegi this week that the objective of the operation was to suppress a looming worse case scenario of illicit transportation of tobacco and cigarettes from South Africa into Botswana through the Tlokweng boarder.

“This was also done to halt dwindling taxing on tobacco products that our country experiences through illegal means,” he said.