JMPD bust counterfeiting operation during routine stop-and-search
This morning I was informed of the arrest of African National Congress (ANC) Councillor and former MMC of Housing, Dan Bovu, and his accomplice for the illegal sale of a City owned property stand in Vlakfontein, South of Johannesburg. The pair handed themselves over to the police in Lenasia this morning.
Councillor Bovu served as the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Housing under the previous administration led by Cllr Parks Tau. Bovu currently serves as Councillor for the ANC as well as its Regional Deputy Secretary General in Johannesburg and was a ward Councillor when he allegedly committed the crime in 2006.
Yesterday, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department’s (JMPD) K9-Unit arrested a 35 year old foreign national for possession of approximately R300 000 worth of fake bank notes, as well other counterfeit currencies.
During a routine Stop-and-Search Operation by the JMPD K9 Unit on Heidelberg Road, a suspicious white Peugeot vehicle was pulled over for inspections, where-after the officers discovered a plastic bag containing an unusually large amount of cash.
JMPD K9 officers was then lead by the driver of the vehicle to his house in Allenspark where the K9 Officers discovered a counterfeiting operation being run inside his house.
The suspect was immediately arrested, and the counterfeit bank notes consisting of R300 000; US Dollars; Nigerian Naira; and a mini printing press and equipment were seized. The suspect is being detained by the police and will face serious criminal charges of money laundering and possession of counterfeit notes.
This kind of criminal operations which hurts the economy of Johannesburg. Unsuspecting shops and small businesses would often lose out on making an honest living when fake money is used to pay them for their goods.
I applaud the JMPD Officers for their vigilance and their resolute effort to bring crime in the City of Joburg to its knees.
The police will investigate whether the suspect is part of a syndicate and trace the tracks of these fake bank notes.
The Department of Public safety urges the public to closely check suspicious bank notes, and report anyone that tries to circulate counterfeit money, to the police.
Anyone with information regarding counterfeit money or suspicious activity in their neighbourhood are urged to contact the JMPD on 011 375 5911.
For more details please contact:
Luyanda Longwe
Stakeholder Manager: Office of the MMC for Public Safety
luyandalo@joburg.org.za
061 4960 536
