NPA seizes 10 aircraft28/02/2007 16:40 Cape Town - South African authorities set about seizing assets worth nearly $14m Wednesday, including 10 light aircraft, after busting a major international cigarette-smuggling ring.
The seizure was authorised by a court order obtained by the national prosecuting authority against businessman Hendrik Delport and 12 co-accused in a trial involving smuggling, fraud and racketeering.
"The list of assets include 10 light aircraft that were stationed at Rand Airport (near Johannesburg), a large number of vehicles and a number of properties registered in the name of Mr Delport, his co-accused and associated entities," said a statement from the asset forfeiture unit (AFU).
"The order is being executed today and the AFU estimates that assets worth R100m or more will be found."
Delport owns an aviation company by the name of Phoebus Apollo Aviation which undertakes cargo flights to neighbouring states, as well as a flight school and a cigarette factory. His co-accused included business associates and an employee of the revenue service. The investigation arose from a 2000 audit by the SA Revenue Service which found tax and excise duty fraud to the tune of some R264m on export documents for cigarettes to various countries. An independent curator would control the seized assets until the finalisation of the criminal trial, currently in its second year
