A Trove of Travel Documents: The Alleged Passport “Courier” Intercepted

In a dramatic interception that points to a sophisticated border-crossing scheme, Mpumalanga police have arrested an undocumented Zimbabwean national found in possession of a staggering 582 passports belonging to citizens of Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, along with R147,300 in cash.

The arrest followed a tip-off about a man driving a bakkie with a canopy, allegedly transporting passports and money. A multidisciplinary police team, including the Middelburg flying squad, spotted and stopped the vehicle with Gauteng plates.

A Hidden Compartment and a Suspected Payment

A search revealed the passports, some with wads of cash tucked inside, hidden in a concealed compartment. A separate black plastic bag contained R20,000. Police spokesperson Captain Mpho Nonyane-Mpe said investigations suggest the driver “was probably going to meet someone the next day to have the passports stamped,” and that the recovered cash was intended as payment for this illegal service.

“The suspect, a Zimbabwean national, was charged for contravention of the Immigration Act, fraud and money laundering,” Nonyane-Mpe confirmed. The bakkie was also confiscated.

The Mechanics of an Illegal Border “Service”

The bust suggests an organised operation facilitating illegal border movement. Instead of individuals presenting themselves at a port of entry, a “courier” would allegedly collect multiple passports and a fee, then have them fraudulently stamped off-site to create the appearance of legal entry or exit. This undermines border security and vetting processes.

The 43-year-old suspect is expected to appear in the Emgwenya periodical court. The seizure of such a large volume of passports and cash represents a significant blow to a clandestine network, but also raises urgent questions about its scale, its connections to corrupt officials, and how many may have already used the illicit service to cross borders unseen.

{Source: Timeslive}

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