Fake document shock
Addo, Kirkwood operations linked to syndicate issuing false passports, work permits
AGROUP of five men believed to be issuing fake South African passports and work permits as part of a nationwide syndicate were arrested in Addo and Kirkwood over the Easter weekend.
Eastern Cape police top brass have hailed the arrest of the suspects as a breakthrough into a syndicate believed to be issuing illegal immigrants with falsified documents.
Three of the suspects have been released by the courts, with the case provisionally withdrawn after detectives were ordered to wait for a report from the cyber crimes unit before continuing, while the remaining two are due to appear in court today.
Valentine Kasiyumhuru, 23, Sukolohle Tihtihtha, 29, and Shegiru Enu, 32, appeared in the Addo Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The two other men, aged 27 and 29, are due to appear today in the Kirkwood Magistrate’s Court, where they will be charged.
Acting Uitenhage cluster commander Brigadier Ronald Koll said despite the case being provisionally withdrawn by state prosecutors, detectives remained confident the group would be prosecuted as the investigation continued.
Police intend to add more charges, ranging from fraud to violation of the Immigration Act and Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
The men were apprehended during an intelligence-driven sting operation authorised by the Uitenhage cluster operational command centre (OCC), which sent a team of police officials, including detectives, to Addo and Kirkwood to follow up on leads.
By late Thursday night, arrests were being executed and houses in the farming towns raided.
Officials linked to the probe confirmed that both the passports and work permits were identical to the real deal and could easily pass as legitimate to unsuspecting employers or law enforcement authorities.
The bust has led detectives to suspect the five have ties to a larger, countrywide syndicate.
The men were allegedly charging illegal immigrants R2 500 for a South African passport – which is valid for 20 years – and R3 500 for a work permit, valid for several months.
Police spokeswoman Captain Gerda Swart said a raid on four houses used as an alleged base of operation turned up seven laptops, hard drives, five desktop computers and several printers.
“Based on preliminary information, they seem to move around the country depending on the needs of the people working in those areas at the time,” she said.
Swart said the farming towns had been specifically targeted due to the approaching citrus season, when farms employ contract workers.
“The season is fast approaching and this group was well aware that work permits and passports would be needed for employment during this time of year,” she said.
The permits and passports were fitted with unique barcodes, serial numbers, the official red Home Affairs stamp, fingerprints, signature from the authorising Home Affairs official and also expiry dates.
“The South African passports were dated for 20 years, while the work permits were valid for a few months,” Swart said.
“The operation was well organised and the culprits managed to operate with one document acting as their master copy on the computer.”
Swart said several more leads were being followed up.