- Intelligence and execution: Covert Intelligence received information about suspicious movements at the property. The Tactical Support Unit obtained a search warrant and conducted the raid jointly with the Port Shepstone Hawks (Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation) and Counter Narcotics KZN.
- What was found: Officers discovered that the flat was allegedly being used as a brothel. The suspect was also linked to a “Black Dollar” scheme (a form of advance-fee fraud involving counterfeit or “blackened” notes that victims are told can be chemically cleaned into real currency after an upfront payment). The Local Criminal Record Centre collected fingerprints and DNA evidence from safes on the premises.
- Seized items: Approximately R1.6 million in counterfeit cash, an iPhone 16, a safe, and two passports belonging to the suspect (with expired visas).
- Suspect profile: A Ugandan national (reported in some coverage as 35 years old) who was in the country illegally due to the expired visas. He was detained at Durban North SAPS.
Charges and court appearance
The suspect faces charges including:
- Counterfeiting of currency
- Contravention of the South African Reserve Bank Act
- Keeping a brothel
- Illegal immigration (and related immigration offences)
He is expected to appear in the Durban Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 12 October 2026.
Context on the “Black Dollar” scheme
This is a known scam in which fraudsters present stacks of black or discoloured paper (or actual counterfeit notes) as real currency that can be “activated” or cleaned for a fee. Victims are induced to pay money upfront in the hope of receiving a much larger sum, which never materialises. Police statements link the arrested man to this type of operation.
This arrest occurred amid broader law-enforcement activity in the Durban area around the same time (including responses to anti-immigrant protests), but it is a distinct intelligence-led operation focused on financial crime, immigration offences, and alleged brothel-keeping. Official confirmation comes from DMPS spokesperson Colonel Boysie Zungu and has been reported by multiple local outlets.
