PICS: 8 cops nabbed over illegal cigarettes

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 today's arrests bring the total number of police members, arrested in connecton with a syndicate involved in the illicit trade in cigarettes, to nine.

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 tomorrow where all nine police members are due to make another court appearance.

"We might have found [a lead] in terms of a syndicate within the police that is actually involved in cigarettes. We believe that there might be more arrests imminent in terms of our investigation. It is believed this area is highly infested with corruption involving police," he said.   

(Photos: Supplied)