The Bellville specialised commercial crimes court on Friday ordered Mohammed Ameen to pay R200,000 into the criminal asset recovery account after he was convicted of money laundering and contravening the Currency and Exchanges Act.
In a plea and sentencing agreement facilitated by senior state attorney advocate Denzyl Combrink, Ameen confessed that he attempted to leave the country with US$544,200 and R2.96m in cash on October 11 2017.
Combrink told the court that customs services officials, acting on a tip-off, stopped the accused from boarding a flight to Dubai.
He was seated in the business lounge area at the international departures terminal at Cape Town International Airport. Customs officials searched 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 South Africa may only carry a maximum of R25,000 in cash without declaring it to a customs official,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said.
He said any person who intended to travel outside South Africa with more than the prescribed limit must obtain permission from the Treasury and declare the 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 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 regarding its source or origin.
Welcoming the sentence, Western Cape director of public prosecutions Nicolette Bell said the Asset Forfeiture Unit will ramp up its efforts to deal with high-profile suspects, specifically using its civil forfeiture powers to claim back stolen money, including funds held in foreign jurisdictions.
Bell said the focus was not only on getting perpetrators jailed, but also on following the money and hitting criminals where it hurt them most by taking away their ill-gotten gains.
TimesLIVE
Man who tried to smuggle millions out of SA ordered to pay R200,000
Image: 123RF/Evgenyi Lastochkin
The Bellville specialised commercial crimes court on Friday ordered Mohammed Ameen to pay R200,000 into the criminal asset recovery account after he was convicted of money laundering and contravening the Currency and Exchanges Act.
In a plea and sentencing agreement facilitated by senior state attorney advocate Denzyl Combrink, Ameen confessed that he attempted to leave the country with US$544,200 and R2.96m in cash on October 11 2017.
Combrink told the court that customs services officials, acting on a tip-off, stopped the accused from boarding a flight to Dubai.
He was seated in the business lounge area at the international departures terminal at Cape Town International Airport. Customs officials searched 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 South Africa may only carry a maximum of R25,000 in cash without declaring it to a customs official,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said.
He said any person who intended to travel outside South Africa with more than the prescribed limit must obtain permission from the Treasury and declare the 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 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 regarding its source or origin.
Welcoming the sentence, Western Cape director of public prosecutions Nicolette Bell said the Asset Forfeiture Unit will ramp up its efforts to deal with high-profile suspects, specifically using its civil forfeiture powers to claim back stolen money, including funds held in foreign jurisdictions.
Bell said the focus was not only on getting perpetrators jailed, but also on following the money and hitting criminals where it hurt them most by taking away their ill-gotten gains.
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