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Tugging at clothes gives smuggler away

Fakir Hassen in Pietermaritzburg

Constant tugging at his pants gave away a South African Indian, who was caught by customs officers at a border post with Swaziland for smuggling.

The man's suspicious behaviour helped the authorities confiscate more than a million rand hidden in his underpants and a body suit worn by his wife.

Shamila Batohi, head of the crack Scorpions investigative unit in Pietermaritzburg, said in court that she would be bringing an application to have the Rand 1.2 million seized in the incident to be forfeited to the state.

Mohamed Vahed and wife Moshena had allegedly tried to smuggle the money into Mozambique via Swaziland at the Golela border post with South Africa in April. The three countries share a border.

"He was shaking a lot and kept tugging at his clothes around the waist," said the police, who took him to a room to be searched. They found money hidden around his waistband and in his underpants.

Moshena was taken to another room and searched by a policewoman. Money was found in a body suit with hidden pockets stuck to her upper body with adhesive tape.

Vahed reportedly said the money belonged to a friend whom he refused to identify. He said he was unaware that it was illegal to take currency out of the country without going through the proper exchange-control channels.

The authorities also revealed that Vahed was attempting to cross the border with a false passport, which police found in his car.

As Vahed has said that the money does not belong to him and he refuses to identify the owner, the loot will remain in the court's custody. If nobody comes forward to claim it with the required proof, it will be forfeited to the state.

Vahed and his wife face criminal charges for violating exchange control regulations.

Indo-Asian News Service

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