Man, Forfeits Thousands of Rands After Failed Attempt to Smuggle Money Out of SA

04 APRIL 2025

Man, Forfeits Thousands of Rands After Failed Attempt to Smuggle Money Out of SA

Bellville, South Africa, The Bellville Commercial Crimes Court has ordered Mohammed Ameen to pay two hundred thousand rands into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account following his conviction for contravention of the Currency and Exchanges Act and money laundering. The court charged and convicted Ameen for contravention of Section 9 of the Currency and Exchanges Act 9 of 1933, read with Section 51(2) of Act 105 of 1997, and contravention of Section 4 of POCA 121 of 1998 (money laundering). 

In a plea and sentencing agreement facilitated by Senior State Attorney Adv. Denzyl Combrink, the accused, confessed that he attempted to leave the country with $ 544,200 (American dollars) and R 2,96 million in cash on 11 October 2017. Adv Combrink told the court that South African Customs Services, acting on a tip-off, stopped the accused from boarding a flight to Dubai and placed him in custody. At the time of his arrest, he was seated in the business lounge area at the international departures of Cape Town International Airport. The international lounge area is past the airport and customs checkpoints within the premises of Cape Town International Airport.

Customs officials searched for his luggage and found the money in his possession. They seized the money and arrested him. In terms of the Exchange Control Regulations, any person who leaves the borders of the Republic of South Africa may only carry a maximum of R25,000 in cash without declaring it to a customs official. Any person who intends to travel outside the border of the Republic of South Africa with any amount more than the prescribed limit must obtain permission from the Treasury and declare the said amount to a customs official at the airport. He did not do the above and denied having the amount of money when questioned by customs officials. He intended to take the local and foreign currency across the borders of the Republic of South Africa on his overseas travel. 

On the money laundering charge, the State argued that the money in the accused’s possession was the proceeds of unlawful activity, as he could not give a reasonable explanation of the source or origin of the money. He concealed and disguised the nature, source, location, and disposition of the cash as he hid it in his luggage that was booked in at Cape Town International Airport. He also hid the true ownership of the unlawful activity as he did not reveal where he obtained it from, and to whom the money belonged. 

A forfeiture order in the amount of R2.9 m and US$ 544,200.00 was granted by the High Court of South Africa: Western Cape Division on 15 June 2018. Later, the State determined that the accused stood to benefit in the amount of R 200,000 from his criminal activity. The State argued that the accused planned the offences with people unknown to the State, financially benefited from the crimes, had ample time to reflect on the unlawfulness of his actions and that the nature of his crimes had a severe impact on the economy and the victims of the crimes. The nature and gravity of his offences are serious as they undermine the role and responsibilities of the South African Reserve Bank. The money (benefit) was confiscated by the State in terms of Section 18 of POCA. 

Welcoming the sentence, Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv. Nicolette Bell said the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) will ramp up its efforts to deal with high-profile suspects, specifically using its novel (Chapter 6) civil forfeiture powers to claim back the stolen money, including funds held in foreign jurisdictions. The focus is not only on getting perpetrators to wear orange overalls, but also on following the money and hitting criminals where it hurts them most by taking away their ill-gotten gains. The court declared Ameen unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000

Issued by: 

Eric Ntabazalila

National Prosecuting Authority

Regional Communications Manager – Western Cape

Tel: (021) 487 7308

Mobile: 073 062 1222