Carte Blanche coming up: Illegal cigarettes

Carte Blanche investigates South Africa’s illegal cigarette trade, revealing how daily smuggling operations have transformed border areas into conflict zones.

Jan 3, 2026 - 04:00
182194
Carte Blanche coming up: Illegal cigarettes

The Sunday, 4 January episode of Carte Blanche delves into South Africa’s illicit cigarette trade, exposing how hundreds of smugglers cross the border daily.

According to the report, smugglers turn rural areas into battlegrounds and force landowners to either flee, look away or profit from the crime.

The multibillion-rand underground economy has overtaken the legal market, costing the state billions in lost tax revenue each year.

Despite government pledges to clamp down, corruption and porous borders continue to fuel the trade, as Carte Blanche traces the hidden supply chain from border crossings to spaza shop counters to reveal how the operation survives.

Credibility among South African viewers

Carte Blanche is a South African investigative journalism television series that airs on M-Net every Sunday at 19:00.

Its first episode aired on 21 August 1988 and over the last 34-plus years has earned credibility among South African viewers for its investigation into corruption, consumer issues, and current events.

Are you a regular Carte Blanche viewer?

If so, let us know by clicking on the comment banner below …

This article has been sourced from various publicly available news platforms around the world. All intellectual property rights remain with the original publishers and authors. Unshared News does not claim ownership of the content and provides it solely for informational and educational purposes voluntarily. If you are the rightful owner and believe this content has been used improperly, please contact us for prompt removal or correction.