Mapaballo Borotho
- A 43-year-old foreign national was arrested in Mpumalanga with 582 passports and R147 300 in cash.
- Police believe the passports were being taken to someone who would illegally stamp them.
- The suspect faces charges including fraud, money laundering, and contravention of the Immigration Act.
A 43-year-old foreign national has been arrested in Mpumalanga after police intercepted a vehicle carrying an astonishing 582 passports and large sums of cash, in what authorities believe could be a major cross-border fraud operation.
Mpumalanga Police spokesperson Mpho Nonyane-Mpe says the breakthrough followed a tip-off about a white Chevrolet Utility bakkie with Gauteng registration plates.
“The astute members intercepted the car on 08 December 2025 around 13h00,” she confirmed.
During the search, officers uncovered 582 passports, some stuffed with cash and hidden beneath a concealed compartment, R20 000 in cash wrapped in a black plastic bag, bringing the total seized amount to R147 300
Preliminary investigations suggest the driver was on his way to meet an individual who would illegally stamp and process the passports.
Police believe the cash found was intended as payment for the operation.
The suspect has been charged with contravening the Immigration Act, fraud, and money laundering. The bakkie was also confiscated as part of the ongoing investigation.
He is expected to appear in the Waterval Boven Periodical Court on 10 December 2025.
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