Durban — A man whose $180 000 (R3.3 million) was forfeited to the state after he was nabbed for not declaring it, wore a thobe (Muslim men’s clothing) to hide bands of cash tied to his body, according to police.
The court recently granted a final order in favour of the state in its case against a Pakistani national, Idris Abdul Aziz, 68, who was found with a stash of dollars on his body at King Shaka International Airport last year.
In a statement issued by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) on Tuesday, the unit said the court had granted the state an order to deposit the money into its account. Abdul Aziz failed to challenge the state against confiscating his money.
Speaking to the Daily News on Wednesday, Hawks spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said the money would be used by the state to fight crime.
Abdul Aziz was charged with contravention of the Currency and Exchanges Act after he was arrested last year while boarding a flight to Dubai.
The accused had failed to declare the money to the South African Revenue Service (Sars).
The police said the accused had been caught by airport scanners after disobeying security orders to step aside, that is when they were called and found money on him.
“He was arrested on October 3. He was wearing Muslim clothes (thobe) while on his way to Dubai, but scanners recognised he was hiding something which his disobeying customs confirmed,” Mhlongo said.
He last appeared at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on October 5 last year and was granted R15 000 bail.
Aziz will reappear in the same court on July 31 for a pre-trial conference.
KZN Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation provincial head Major-General Lesetja Senona commended the Asset Forfeiture team for their excellent work in forfeiting the money to the state.
In another matter, the state also added R65 800 to the account, which was a bribe by KwaDukuza suspects offered to a police officer to avoid arrest.
The order was granted early in the year by KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court and part of the money offered as a bribe.
KZN police said the money had been seized during a Hawks operation in Ballito in March 2023, where members received information about fraudulent activities at a guest house.
During the search, Mhlongo said computers and gadgets were seized, which was when the accused offered a bribe to the police.
The matter was referred to the Hawks’ asset forfeiture investigation team, who further worked with the National Prosecuting Authority to secure the final forfeiture order, Mhlongo said.
The forfeited cash was also deposited into the criminal assets recovery account.
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Daily News