Assessing the application of intelligence-led investigations into the illicit tobacco industry in South Africa

Abstract

This study assesses the application of intelligence-led investigations (ILIs) into the Illicit Tobacco Trade (ITT) in South Africa. This study adopted a qualitative, constructivist multiple case study design, employing purposive sampling and in‑depth semi‑structured interviews with multi-sectoral experts, with data analysed thematically to generate contextually grounded insights into intelligence‑led investigations in South Africa’s illicit tobacco trade. Data was gathered through in-depth interviews with participants from diverse national and international sectors, including law enforcement, private security, corporate intelligence, and financial intelligence, focusing on their engagement with ILIs in the context of South Africa’s ITT. The findings reveal notable disparities in ILI maturity between private-sector entities and public-sector bodies, inconsistent policy awareness, fragmented agency roles, poor coordination, uneven analytical standards, and implementation inefficiencies that impede ILI's potential to counter ITT in South Africa. In response, this study proposes an Intelligence-Led Investigation Maturity Assessment and Implementation Model (ILI-MAIM) for combating ITT in South Africa. This contemporary model addresses the absence of integrative, context-sensitive enforcement models for ITT by synthesising institutional coordination, intelligence-led approaches and capacity constraints into a novel, adaptable framework that enhances coherence and operational alignment in fragmented enforcement environments on combating ITT in South Africa.

Lolu cwaningo lokuhlola lwenziwe kusetshenziswa uphenyo oluholwa ulwazi lwezobunhloli (Intelligence Led Investigation- ILI) lumayelana nokuhweba okungekho emthethweni ngogwayi eNingizimu Afrika okwaziwa nge ITT. Imininingwane yaqoqwa ngohlelo lwezingxoxo ezijulille nalabo ababambe iqhaza abavela emikhakheni ehlukahlukane kazwelonke neyamazwe ngamazwe, okuhlanganisa abezokuphepha kombuso (amaphoyisa), abezokuphepha abazimele, ubunhloli bezinkampani, kanye nobunhloli bezimali, lokhu bekugxile ekubandakanyekeni kwabo kuma-ILI esimeni se- ITT eNingizimu Afrika. Imiphumela ikhombisa ukungalingani okukhulu ezingeni lokuvuthwa kanye nokuthuthuka kwama- ILI phakathi kwezinhlaka zomkhakha ozimele nezomphakathi, ukuqwashisa okungahambisani nezinqubomgomo, ukuhlukaniseka kwezindima kwezindima zezinhlaka, ukungabi nokuhleleka, nokubambisana okwanele, amazinga angalingani okucubungula ulwazi/ idatha, kanye nokungasebenzi kahle ekusetshenzisweni, konke lokho okumba amandla aphelele ama- ILI ekulwisaneni ne ITT eNingizimu Afrika. Njengempendulo lolucwaningo luphakamisa iModeli Yokuhlola nokuSebenzisa ukuvuthwa koPhenyo Oluholwa uLwazi lwezoBunhloli (ILI-MAIM) ukulwa ne ITT eNingizimu Afrika. Lemodeli yesimanje yandisa kulwazi olukhona futhi inikela ngokubalulekile ekuthuthukisweni kwezinqubomgomo nasekusebenzeni, mayelana nama- ILI kanye nokulwa nokuhweba okungekho ngogwayi okungekho emthethweni eNingizimu Afrika.

Nyakišišo ye e sekaseka tšhomišo ya dinyakišišo tša go thewa godimo ga inithelitšentshe (ILI) ka ga Kgwebišano ya Motšoko ye e sego Molaong (ITT) ka Afrika Borwa. Datha e kgobokeditšwe ka dipoledišano tše di tseneletšego le bakgathatema go tšwa makaleng a go fapafapana a bosetšhaba le a boditšhabatšhaba, go akaretšwa phethagatšo ya molao, tšhireletšo ya phraebete, inithelitšentshe ya dikhamphani, le inithelitšentshe ya ditšhelete, go šeditšwe kudu go ditshomišano tša bona le di-ILI ka gare ga maemo a ITT ya Afrika Borwa. v Dikutullo di utolla diphapano tše di lemogegago tša metšhurithi ya ILI gare ga ditheo tša lekala la phraebete le mekgatlo ya lekala la mmušo, temošo ya pholisi ye e fetogafetogago, dikarolo tša ditheo tše di aroganego, kgokaganyo ye mpe, maemo a tshekatsheko ye e sa lekalekanego, le go se šome gabotse ga phethagatšo yeo e šitišago bokgoni bja ILI bja go lwantšha ITT ka Afrika Borwa. Go fa karabo, nyakišišo ye e šišinya Mmotlolo wa Phethagatšo le Tekolo ya Metšhurithi wa Dinyakišišo ya go thewa godimo ga inithelitšentshe (ILI-MAIM) go lwantšha ITT ka Afrika Borwa. Mmotlolo wo wa sebjalebjale o tšwetša pele tsebo ye e lego gona, o fa seabe se segolo go pholisi ya phrakethikhale le tlhabollo ya tshepedišo mabapi le ILI le polelo ye e nabilego ka ga go lwantšha ITT ka Afrika Borwa.