The Hawks have arrested eight members of the police's K-9 unit in Mpumalanga on a host of criminal charges.
Hawks spokesperson, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, says the charges range from corruption, defeating the ends of justice, conspiracy to commit a crime to assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and kidnapping.
He says the arrests bring the total number of police members arrested in connection with a syndicate involved in the illicit trade in cigarettes to 9.
Mulaudzi says the eight police members, aged between 30 and 49, are due to appear in court today.
He says the matter is expected to be postponed to Wednesday where all nine police members are due to make another court appearance.
During the operation the Hawks arrested two suspects and also took other three for questioning after two bakkies they were travelling in were found full of illicit cigarettes at the Sasol Complex in Lydenburg. The arrested suspects, a man and his female companion, will appear before the Lydenburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
