2 Nigerians Arrested In S/Africa Over Fake Dollars

Two Nigerians have been arrested in South Africa in connection with printing fake dollars.

The police yesterday found five trunks containing R80-million in fake US dollars in a swoop on a house in the wealthy northern Johannesburg suburb of Athol.

A total of $2 million was seized inside a house that worked as a clandestine printer to produce fake one-hundred U.S. dollar notes, according to the authorities.

Police spokesman Colonel Tshisikhawe Ndou said the two Nigerian nationals, aged 40 and 41, were arrested in a raid following a tip-off.

The two suspects seemed dazed as officers questioned them amid the broken tiles and overturned couches.

Ndou said police also found seven Ingersoll watches, together worth R700000, and 18 cellphones.

Ndou said this was the biggest bust involving counterfeit money found in Johannesburg this year.

He said the police were investigating whether the men were part of a syndicate.

“We can’t rule out the possibility of making more arrests. It is believable that more arrests can be made on this particular bust because we do believe that a bigger syndicate is involved,” Ndou said.

Officers also confiscated computer hard drives, 18 cellphones, seven luxury watches and a brand new Kia Cerato car.

According to Ndou, the suspects will appear in the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court tomorrow on charges of possession of counterfeit money and suspected stolen property.