'Romance Scams': Hawks and US Officials Bust Nigerian Mafia Operating in Cape Town
- South African and United States of America officials conducted a joint operation that led to the arrests of eight people in Cape Town
- Some of the people arrested are believed to be the leaders of Black Axe, which is a Nigerian mafia organisation that scams people out of money
- The members of the mafia group are known to wed off South African women for citizenship to gain access to countries such as Canada
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CAPE TOWN - A joint operation between the Hawks and Untied States of America law enforcement officials has led to the arrest of suspect leaders of a mafia gang.
Those arrested are believed to be part of a Nigerian mafia goup called Black Axe and were apprehended following a raid on Tuesday morning, 19 October in Cape Town.
Source: Getty Images
According to TimesLIVE, a total of six leaders as well as another person who is not a leader were taken into custody by officials. An eighth individual was also arrested by the officials and is believed to have connections with Black Axe members.
The mafia gang is known for being involved in 'romance scams' in which they target elderly men and women who have been widowed or divorced to defraud them of their money. The group uses dating sites as a means of operation.
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The group would pose as wealthy pensioners looking for love interest and stationed themselves at Table View. The group is also known for scamming companies.
Black Axe members are known for marrying South African women in order to gain citizenship to gain access to countries such as the US, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany.
According to the SundayTimes, the group also defrauded thousands of South African women while operating in the country. They have managed to scam women of approximately R4 billion.
Black Axe also has links to a human trafficking ring in Italy called Camorra. The organisation, which first positioned itself as a liberation organisation, has been banned in Nigeria.
Mzansi shocked to learn about Nigerian mafia group in Cape Town
South Africans on social media believe that the country's laws on immigration should be reevaluated because of the crimes committed by foreign nationals. Here are some of their comments:
@Sthembiso_RSA said:
"#Nigeria's #Mafia is here then definitely the #BokoHaram is also here cause we already have their #DrugDealers;#HumanTraffickers and all sorts of thugs and criminals."
@GreenmanSA said:
"I can barely find a woman in Cape Town who offers to split a bill... how do these guys get hundreds of thousands over the internet without even meeting in person."
@VByuma said:
"This is when these South African human rights organisations must protect SA women and force home affairs to cancel all the marriage done. And revoke the citizenship."
@ddmhlanga1 said:
"Now it's the time for our government to evaluate our relationship with Nigeria, they are being deported everywhere in the world but here they're roaming freely."
"Aowa": Man accused of kidnapping 50 Ethiopian nationals appears in court
Briefly News previously reported that the man suspected of kidnapping 50 Ethiopian nationals and operating a human trafficking ring in South Africa appeared in court for the first time on Monday.
The 49-year-old man, who is also an Ethiopian immigrant, has been identified as Abdi Ahmed Kafecho.
He appeared briefly in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court before the case was postponed until 25 October for further police investigations.
News24 reported that the accused, who was arrested on Thursday, 14 October following a tip-off to police, faces charges including human trafficking and kidnapping.
Source: Briefly News
