THE police in Vereeniging, Vaal, clashed with foreign shop owners over illicit cigarettes.
A senior police officer got injured when the shop owners stormed the Vereeniging Police Station on Wednesday, 14 December, and attacked cops with bottles and stones.
The attack followed an intelligence operation where the police seized illicit cigarettes worth about R800 000, as well as an undisclosed amount of money.
But the shop owners, who are mostly foreigners, accused the police of targeting their shops and taking their money. Captain Fikile Funda said that a multi-disciplinary team comprising of various law enforcement units acted on intelligence received.
“We got information that there is a shop with boxes of fake cigarettes,” said Funda told Daily Sun.
“On arrival at the shop, police found many boxes of illicit cigarettes and a large sum of money.”
He said that a group of foreign shop owners attacked police officers and one senior officer was hurt.
“Back up was sought from Public Order Police and rubber bullets were fired to disperse the crowd.
“Two suspects were arrested for attacking a police officer,” he said.
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The owners demanded that they be given their cigarettes and money back.
They also demanded the release of the arrested suspects.
Despite the high presence of Public Order Police at the police station, the group refused to leave and police used force and threatened to arrest them all.
Funda said the arrested suspects will appear in the Vereeniging Magistrates Court soon for money laundering, dealing in illicit cigarette, as well as assault.
