A 39-year-old South African man was apprehended by Border Management Authority (BMA) officers while attempting to depart South Africa for eSwatini over the Oshoek border barrier, carrying a large sum of money.
Captain Dineo Sekgotodi, spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, better known as the Hawks, stated that the individual was attempting to cross the South African border into Swaziland by climbing through a fence.
He was apprehended by attentive officers who stopped and searched him.
“He was holding a black plastic bag whereby cash amount of R424,800 which was found and seized,” said Sekgotodi.
“During interrogation, the suspect was asked about the money, where it was coming from and where was it was being taken to. He could not give clear explanation,” said Sekgotodi.
“It was also discovered that the money was not declared as per Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) 38 of 2001 in terms of Section 54 read with Section 30. He was then arrested, charged with possession of suspected stolen property.”
The money was seized and booked by the police.
The arrested individual is scheduled to appear in the Elukwatini Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, Major General Nicholas Gerber, the provincial commander of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, praised the vigilance of Border Management Authority officials “who acted with integrity when they searched and arrested the suspect”.
