Behind Bars, But Not Offline: Inmates Caught Running Daylight Scam at Baviaanspoort Prison

In a shocking bust, inmates at Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre were found openly running scams using smuggled phones, exposing major cracks in South Africa’s prison security system.

Scamming in broad daylight

You’d expect high walls and locked cells to be enough to stop crime. But a recent raid at Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre tells a different story, one where inmates, not only serving time, were actively defrauding members of the public using mobile phones hidden inside their cells.

Even more disturbing? It all happened in broad daylight.

The operation came to light after National Commissioner Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale led a surprise weekend raid. What investigators found shocked even hardened officials: a sophisticated network of inmates using smuggled devices to run scams right under the noses of prison staff.

Phones hidden in plain sight

The raid uncovered cleverly concealed mobile phones, tucked away in customised hideouts designed to evade routine searches. These weren’t just burner phones carelessly stashed under mattresses. They were part of a planned system, concealed with precision and used confidently during normal hours.

“The fact that these scams were being carried out so openly raises serious concerns about oversight within the facility,” the Department of Correctional Services said in a firm statement.

Forensic experts are now examining the confiscated phones, piecing together just how wide the scam spread and how many unsuspecting victims were targeted. The analysis will also help determine whether corrupt officials helped the devices get in.

Prison management under fire

Following the raid, Commissioner Thobakgale demanded a full report from Baviaanspoort’s leadership. He wants answers and fast. How did this happen on their watch? How did so many phones get in, stay hidden, and get used so freely?

The department isn’t mincing words. It’s clear: heads may roll if any official is found complicit.

“Any staff member involved in phone smuggling will face the full might of the law,” the department warned.

Crackdown: Inmates moved, network broken

Authorities acted swiftly to dismantle the inmate-run scam ring. All prisoners identified in the operation were transferred to Kgosi Mampuru II’s maximum-security unit, where conditions are stricter, and communication is heavily restricted.

This wasn’t just punishment. It was a strategic move to sever the web of criminal communication and prevent any attempt to regroup.

The department says this raid is just one part of a broader campaign to clean up correctional facilities and eradicate contraband. The message is clear: cellphones have no place in prison.

A growing national concern

South Africa’s correctional system has long struggled with contraband—from drugs to weapons, and now, smartphones. But this case stands out because of the brazenness and scale.

Cellphone scams linked to prisons aren’t new in the country. Many citizens have shared experiences online of being conned via WhatsApp and phone calls from so-called “officials” only to later learn the calls came from inmates.

Now, more people are asking: how many other prisons are hiding similar scams?

The trust gap widens

The Baviaanspoort bust is more than just a security slip, it’s a wake-up call. It’s about public trust. If prisoners can run full-blown scams during the day, what does that say about the system meant to rehabilitate them—or protect us?

While the Department of Correctional Services insists it’s stepping up its game, South Africans will want more than words. They’ll want accountability. Because when inmates can dial out freely, the line between prison and power gets disturbingly thin.

{Source: The Citizen}

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