Five South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members, including a female soldier, and two undocumented Zimbabwean nationals were arrested in Musina, Limpopo, on Tuesday for allegedly conducting an unauthorized operation to intercept and steal illicit cigarettes from smugglers near the border.

The incident unfolded around midnight at the Sediba sa Tlou military base in Artonvilla, where the soldiers, aged between 26 and 42, reportedly teamed up with the Zimbabweans to target a group smuggling contraband across the Limpopo River. Shots were fired during the interception, forcing the original smugglers to abandon 24 boxes of illicit cigarettes, which the suspects allegedly seized.

Eighteen boxes were handed over to the South African Revenue Service (SARS), but six more were later found hidden inside the base. A joint operation by military police, military intelligence, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) Limpopo Beitbridge Task Team uncovered the concealed goods following credible intelligence. The suspects initially obstructed the search but relented after intervention by senior SANDF officers.

A case was registered at Musina police station, charging all seven with corruption, possession of illicit cigarettes, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and defeating the ends of justice. SANDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Prince Tshabalala condemned the actions as undermining the force's integrity and the public's trust.

Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya, ordered internal disciplinary proceedings to run alongside the criminal case, with outcomes guiding further administrative measures. The suspects are scheduled to appear in the Musina Magistrate's Court on Thursday.