The government has identified at least 27 cases where a crime syndicate has swindled state departments in four provinces out of more than R199million over the past three years - using cyber spyware.

The government has identified at least 27 cases where a crime syndicate has swindled state departments in four provinces out of more than R199million over the past three years - using cyber spyware.

This was revealed in Durban yesterday by KwaZulu-Natal MEC for finance and economic development Zweli Mkhize. He said the commercial crime unit had made 32 arrests but the syndicate "was still in operation".

Motlalepula Motaung, head of the internal audit services, said the syndicate used advanced spyware to commit cyber crime, which has been identified in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Eastern Cape.

The crime was first identified in 2005. That year, eight fraud cases were opened and in 2007-2008 another 18 cases were reported. The syndicate identified corrupt officials, who had defrauded the transport, education, health, housing and agriculture departments. - Sapa