Police have recovered more than R125,000 worth of cigarettes as well as two vehicles and a firearm, after the driver of a delivery van was held up at gunpoint at a general dealer in Paterson.
Police spokesperson, Captain Mali Govender, says they received information that two suspects had driven the van, with the driver locked in the back, to a spot in the area where they offloaded the cigarettes into two other vehicles on Monday.
When police arrived at the scene, they noticed a car driving off at high speed. They gave chase and the vehicle lost control and overturned. The occupants fled on foot and a 9mm pistol was found at the scene.
Information was circulated that the second vehicle, an Isuzu bakkie, was travelling on the R72 towards Port Alfred.
The cigarettes believed to have been taken in the robbery were recovered in the vicinity of Kenton-on-Sea, and the bakkie was later found abandoned by members of the Port Alfred K9 unit.
There have been no arrests.
