Police bust illegal immigrants manufacturing counterfeit sim cards

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Police arrested more than forty suspected illegal immigrants on Friday after the discovery of a house in Sandton where counterfeit sim cards are manufactured.

Police from the Gauteng organised crime investigation unit received information about a house in a leafy suburb where criminal activities were taking place.

According to police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, the members operationalised the information and pounced on the house.

“Upon arrival, they found more than forty suspected illegal immigrants aged between 17 and 36 years.

“Further investigation led the police to a garage and backroom where thousands of sim cards from all South African mobile cellphone networks and a substantial number of computers were found.

“It is suspected that all the sim cards are manufactured from the premises. Technicians from some of the mobile cellphone networks were called to the scene where they confirmed that the sim cards were an imitation,” he stated.

Lt Col Masondo confirmed that forty-three suspected illegal immigrants and two South Africans were arrested.

He added; “They are facing charges that include the contravention of cyber crime act, fraud, and illegal immigrants. More suspects might be arrested pending further investigation.”

Meanwhile, Upington border police confiscated over 3 million worth of illicit cigarettes at one of the shops on Friday.

They operationalised the information, and the shop was visited for inspection, Sergeant Omphile Masegela remarked.

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“During inspection, they found cigarettes that were hidden in a storeroom at the back of the premises.

“The owner could, however, not provide invoices for the cigarettes and 153 mastercases cigarettes to the value of R 3 901 500.00 were seized.

“An inquiry has been registered for further investigation,” he concluded.