Man with 13 passports arrested after trying to bribe border officials during Easter – BMA

The Border Management Authority (BMA) says it intercepted nearly 4 000 people, including a man with 13 passports, who attempted to enter South Africa illegally during the Easter period.

Officials from the BMA briefed the media regarding its Easter operations on Sunday.

Travellers processed at SA ports of entry

During the press conference, BMA commissioner Mike Masiapato revealed that the agency had facilitated the movement of just over one million travellers through South Africa’s 71 ports of entry during Easter.

This was over a period of 10 days between 26 March and 4 April.

The commissioner said 3 841 people attempting to enter South Africa illegally were intercepted.

“Out of this number of intercepted individuals 2 403 did not have any documents at all. About 1 119 were refused entry for being undesirable and about 419 were found inadmissible to enter the country due to various reasons,” he said.

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Masiapato indicated that those arrested were intercepted at the vulnerable segments of the border lines.

He said the individuals were processed and declared undesirable for five years as well as deported.

“Most of the inadmissible individuals were found with invalid passports fraudulent visas or failed to produce relevant documents such as yellow fever certificates especially for those travelling from yellow fever endemic countries,” Masiapato continued.

Almost 100 000 people were screened for various communicable diseases during the 10 days.

@TheBMA_SA Commissioner, Dr Mike @masiapata says during Easter, the BMA intercepted 3 841 individuals and about 2 403 did not have any documents at all, 1 019 were refused entry for being undesirable and about 419 were found inadmissible to enter the country due to various…

— The Border Management Authority SA (@TheBMA_SA) April 14, 2024

The commissioner pointed out that there was a decrease in the number of undocumented and unaccompanied minors arriving at ports of entry.

The agency only intercepted five children at the Beitbridge port of entry in Limpopo on 28 March.

The children were handed over to the Department of Social Development and have since been returned to their home country.

BMA arrests

At least 140 individuals were arrested for committing various crimes and transgressions within South African ports of entry.

Most of them were apprehended for aiding and abetting.

“The majority of these individuals served as facilitators of illegal activities,” Masiapato said.

In one instance, a man was nabbed after being found in possession of 13 passports at the Lebombo port of entry to Mozambique.

He attempted to bribe an official with bank notes that were placed inside a book.

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In addition, about 641 kilograms (KG) of dagga with the value of R2.6 million was seized and destroyed in both Grobler’s Bridge port of entry to Botswana and Caledonspoort port of entry to Lesotho.

The BMA also managed to intercept a consignment of seven cargos of meat worth over R9 million.

The consignment was rejected because of non-compliance and was due to enter South Africa through Cape Town.

“Further the border guards seized about 748 KGs of non-compliant regulated agricultural products at various ports of entry.”

Watch the briefing below:

The BMA further issued penalties to some bus companies that were carrying illegal migrants in and out of South Africa.

“Eight penalties were issued to some bus companies found transporting illegal migrants to various ports of entry to the value of R270 000,” Masiapato said.

Masiapato added that since the deployment of guards at the borders, the BMA has managed to intercept over 200 000 individuals who tried to cross into South Africa.

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