Operations ridding province of counterfeit goods and foreign nationals

POLOKWANE – The Border Policing teams from various provincial border posts are deployed at Beitbridge Port of Entry in Limpopo for the execution of the High Density Operation Vala Umgodi since Thursday 14 December 2023 and for the some months to come.

Operation Vala Umgodi is gaining momentum in ridding Limpopo of illicit cigarettes, counterfeit goods, and illegal foreign nationals. The Border Policing teams from various provincial border posts have been deployed at Beitbridge Port of Entry in Limpopo since December 2023.

Millions of rands worth of illicit cigarettes were recovered and hundreds of illegal immigrants were arrested and processed with the collaborative efforts by the Department of Home Affairs, then were ultimately deported back to their countries of origin.

The police have managed to confiscate numerous air inflatable boats and homemade wooden ferris that are being used for ferrying illegal immigrants and goods for crossing Limpopo River between Zimbabwe and South Africa and homemade wooden step ladders were found to be used to cross the bridge. Subsequently, all the ferris and ladders were destroyed.