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Gauteng Officer and Wife Nabbed After Swiss Diamond Deal Turns Criminal

Published

2 months ago

August 14, 2025

Chiraag

Gauteng police kidnapping case, Swiss diamond dealer extortion, SAPS officer arrested, Tarlton Police Station scandal, fake diamond deal, Randfontein police incident, Vision Tactical, Joburg ETC

What began as a business trip to buy diamonds has turned into a chilling cautionary tale for a young Swiss man who found himself caught in a fake gem deal that spiralled into a kidnapping involving a Gauteng police officer and his wife.

A Deal Too Good to Be True

The 23-year-old, a registered diamond dealer from Switzerland, landed in Johannesburg last week. He had seen a Facebook advert offering uncut diamonds for sale and travelled to Gauteng to close what he thought was a legitimate transaction.

After checking into a hotel in Boksburg, he was collected by the seller and taken to a house in Randfontein. There, he was shown two uncut diamonds. But instead of making a purchase, things took a dark turn.

From Diamond Pitch to Police Van

In the middle of the meeting, two individuals claiming to be police officers stormed into the house. They threatened the dealer with arrest unless he handed over €100,000, roughly R205,000. He was forced into a marked SAPS vehicle and then driven to a fast-food restaurant, where he was reportedly made to buy food and drinks for the men holding him.

Desperate, the young man reached out to his family to help raise the money. But the ploy didn’t go unnoticed.

A Tip-Off, a Team, and a Rescue

Interpol’s National Central Bureau in Pretoria alerted South African authorities. A joint operation between SAPS crime intelligence, the anti-kidnapping task team, and private security firm Vision Tactical was launched. They quickly made contact with the victim, who was later dropped off near his hotel by the suspects.

On Tuesday, the victim met with the investigative team and identified the Randfontein house, the police vehicle, and the officer involved, who was later confirmed to be from Tarlton Police Station.

Even more shockingly, the police sergeant’s wife was identified at the house and arrested on the spot as one of the suspects involved.

No Comment Yet, but Public Shock Is Mounting

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe did not respond to media queries about the arrest, and the full extent of the alleged corruption within the police station is still under investigation.

On social media, many South Africans expressed frustration and concern over the involvement of SAPS members in a case so brazen. One user commented, “How are people supposed to trust the police when they’re the ones kidnapping foreign nationals?”

Others pointed out how such cases damage South Africa’s reputation internationally, particularly among visitors and business travellers.

A Deeper Problem?

While this case seems like a bizarre one-off, it sits against a broader backdrop of rising incidents involving fake police operations, especially around extortion scams and “arrests” targeting tourists or foreign nationals. For many, this latest case confirms fears that corruption within police ranks is not just isolated but increasingly dangerous.

If the allegations hold, the couple now faces serious charges, including kidnapping, extortion, and abuse of state authority. More arrests may follow as investigators piece together the full scope of the operation.