Durban Beachfront Hotel Bust: 5 Arrested in Alleged Cellphone Scam Worth Millions

• Police in Durban have busted an alleged multi-million rand SMS scam operating from a beachfront hotel, arresting five suspects
• The group, made up of three Nigerian men and two local women, allegedly used phones and laptops to send fraudulent messages to victims
• All five are expected to appear in court next week on charges including fraud, theft and cybercrime offences

DURBAN - Police in KwaZulu-Natal have shut down an alleged cellphone scam that was making millions being run from a popular beachfront hotel in Durban.

Three Nigerian men and two South African women have been arrested.

Police operation busts multi-million rand syndicate

Police reports say the suspects were tracked down after a joint operation by several police units, including Crime Intelligence, Commercial Crime Investigations, Durban Central SAPS and the Metro Police Tactical Support Unit.

The group was working from three hotel rooms, which they booked in early April.

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From there, they allegedly sent out scam messages to people’s phones, trying to trick them into giving away personal and banking details.

When officers moved in, they seized several cellphones and laptops believed to have been used in the scam.

The five suspects are expected to appear in court next week. They could face charges of fraud, theft and breaking the Cybercrimes Act. Investigations are ongoing.

Journalist Desan Thathiah posted about the bust on his X account:

Police nab fake sim manufacturing ring

In similar news, Gauteng police pounced on a group suspected of operating a fake sim card manufacturing ring, duping unsuspecting victims out of their money. On Friday, the Gauteng Organised Crime Investigation Unit raided a house in the affluent suburb of Sandton, north of Johannesburg, and nabbed 43 suspects. Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said law enforcement also uncovered multiple computers. He added that two of the group were South Africans, while the rest were undocumented foreigners. The group was scheduled to appear in the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, 25 June 2024.

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Briefly News articles on SAPS conducting multi-million rand arrests

• The Hawks seized unregulated cellphones worth over R5 million and R500,000 cash from Pakistani nationals in a shop in Johannesburg. This was after they received an anonymous tip-off. When they arrived at the China Mall, they discovered that the cell phones were concealed in the ceiling of a shop.
• Police in Umhlanga raided a property suspected of operating as an illegal call centre linked to a multi-million rand banking scam.
• Police officers have made a massive bust and successfully arrested five suspects. The cops confiscated R10 million worth of illegal cigarettes in well-orchestrated plan.
• The South African Police Service (SAPS) destroyed R340 million worth of drugs at an undisclosed location in Cape Town National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola confirmed that R5.2 million worth of drugs has been destroyed in three years.
• A 37-year-old Mozambican national was nabbed attempting to smuggle R4.2 million worth of crystal meth into the country. He was found with 17,000 grams of the drug in a hidden compartment of a taxi at the Lebombo Border.

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Previously, Briefly News reported that authorities confiscated drugs worth R37 million at OR Tambo International Airport. They found 23 kg of narcotics, 10 kg of crystal meth and 13 kgs of fentanyl. According to officials, the drug smugglers were creative as they used models at work to disguise narcotics.

Source: Briefly News