BEVERLY HILLS, September 15, (THEWILL) – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has seized $9.3 million cash from two Nigerians and an Israeli at the Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg after they arrived on a private jet from Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
A spokeswoman of the South African Revenue Service, SARS Marika Muller said the cash is being held at the central bank as police investigate the incident because the funds were undeclared and way above the prescribed legal limit.
The men according to a Reuters report said they were going to use the funds to buy arms. The cash was transported in three suitcases, The City Press reported.
“The passengers’ luggage was searched after Customs officials detected irregularities. The money was detained as it was undisclosed/undeclared and above the prescribed legal limit,” Muller said in a statement.
The plane, a Challenger 600, had a Nigerian flight crew on board, along with two Nigerian citizens and an Israeli. It was piloted by a Captain Ojongbede and the flight had come from Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
The passengers apparently told officials they were acting on behalf of the Nigerian intelligence service.
They provided documentation confirming they had come to South Africa to buy weapons. It is not clear whether the Israeli passenger was an intelligence operative or an arms dealer.
The National Conventional Arms Control Committee, which has to approve the import and export of any weapons as well as issue permits for such transactions, was not aware of any applications in this case.
A committee spokesperson said they were aware of the incident, but did not respond to requests for further information.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Paul Ramaloko confirmed the incident. City Press said it understands that the National Prosecuting Authority unit that investigates crimes against the state is also involved in the case, and the State Security Agency has also shown interest in the matter.
Arms transactions are not usually paid for in cash, and a complicated bank transfer system is needed to transfer large amounts of money from one country to another.
The case was reported to the Muldersdrift Police Station, west of Joburg, and the seizure of the money was documented accordingly, said Lackay.
The aircraft was temporarily impounded, but was allowed to return to Abuja on Monday morning.
Further investigation revealed that the aircraft used to belong to the American healthcare company Kimberly-Clark. But company spokesperson Bob Brand said the firm had sold the plane years ago, and denied that it had anything to do with the incident.
According to the US Federal Aviation Administration aeroplane register, the Challenger, with the registration number N808HG, was reregistered in the name of Bank of Utah Trustee last year. The address in the register was given as Salt Lake City, US.
Aviation industry insiders claim similar “owners” have previously been involved in several controversial aircraft financing transactions for aircraft in Africa.
Another plane used by Swat Inc, a Hawker Siddeley 125, also with an American registration number (N497AG), landed at Lanseria Airport last month. That plane and its passengers remained in the country for two days before returning to Abuja on August 13.
The SA Reserve Bank’s regulations provide that a passenger entering or leaving the country may carry a maximum amount of R25 000 in cash, or the equivalent in foreign currency in notes.
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