Pretoria - National Police Commissioner General Riah Phiyega has urged police, government and members of the public to work together to combat the illicit trade of tobacco.
Speaking at a three-day conference hosted by the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa (Tisa) in Cape Town, Phiyega said illicit trading creates an environment for organised crime to thrive, which has a negative impact on the economy, the functioning of the State and the rule of law.
“Organised crime knows no borders. It has no regard for the law and the criminals involved have massive resources and networks they have developed in pursuit of their objectives.
“Combating the illicit trade in tobacco needs concerted collaborative approaches. The police and all relevant role players, including the community, have a big role to play in enabling and maintaining a safe and secure platform for trade in South Africa and the SADC [Southern African Development Community] region,” she said on Tuesday.
Making reference to Czech fugitive and businessman Radovan Krejcir, who faces charges of kidnapping and attempted murder, among others, Phiyega said organised crime has a tendency to spill over to other crimes.
“What I mean by this is that when you have someone like Krejcir, who is able to pollute various spheres of government including the police, prosecutors, Home Affairs officials as well as use corrupt means through institutions such as banks, insurance companies and vehicle dealership to commit crimes, then we have a serious problem.
“That is why it is important for us to fight any activity which may aid organised crime,” she said.
The conference is attended by local and international law enforcement agencies who are sharing ideas on how to stop the scourge of trade in illicit products, taxes in the tobacco industry and corruption within the industry.
Illegal trade in tobacco products is huge business, which often spreads to other crimes like money laundering and drug dealing.
"Due to this illicit trade, criminals use the informal markets they have built to distribute other counterfeit goods and commit other crimes," said Phiyega. – SAnews.gov.za
