Two males and a female appeared in the Bloemfontein’s Magistrate’s court on Thursday on charges of alleged fraud, illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of ammunition. Their bail application was postponed to Tuesday.
The three suspects was arrested on 2 July by a team consisting of different police units, government departments, private security, and forensic investigators.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli, police investigators reacted to information regarding two houses in Woodland Hills, where the suspects were using unknown machines to clone data and manufacture sim cards.
“A search and seizure operation, duly authorised by the court, was conducted. Sim cards of different service providers to an estimated value of over R1 million, suspected cloning machines, cash, two firearms, and rounds of ammunition were amongst items recovered at the two houses,” Mohobeleli said.
Free State Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, has commended everyone involved in the operation for their diligence and teamwork.
Compiled by Abigail Visagie
