Cape Town - A prolific syndicate operating in and around Philippi-East has managed to pull off the theft of containers with just the use of computers and smartphones.
The syndicate targets shipping container companies in Durban who are in the business of renting out shipping containers to industries that need them.
Private investigator John Alexander from Royal Investigations was roped in by clients who lost their containers and has been on the tail of the syndicate.
He said the syndicate commonly uses credentials from well-known companies in the bulk supply chain.
“The syndicate will provide this factitious documentation which will be subjected to the vetting process conducted by the supplier and once this is done, the supplier will issue the invoice.”
They then provide fake proof of payment and order the release of the containers.
“This whole operation is done from an internet café in Philippi and financed by the mastermind whose identity Is unknown to us.”
Once the containers are delivered to the premises, usually close to a cash-and-carry, the henchmen or spotters will inform the mastermind, by which time they already have the crane truck lined up to move the container to a different location.
“They will employ another trucking company to transport the containers to the end buyers who are usually small micro spaza shop owners.”
One of his clients lost 21 containers after falling victim of the syndicate.
Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity company found that South Africa is a playground for cybersecurity criminals. The country is ranked in the top 30 most targeted countries for malware attacks and top 20 for Covid-19-related email threats.
Eight Nigerians, who include six leaders of a group called the Black Axe, a large transnational Nigerian syndicate, were arrested for internet scams, money laundering and international-wide scale financial fraud in Cape Town, in a joint operation by that included the FBI in October last year.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the FBI estimates that more than 100 people lost more than R100 million in romance scams from 2011 to date.
“Alexander’s operation with the police managed to recover three stolen containers on January 20 (two in Delft and one in Philippi) already sold at R17 000 each. Two are still outstanding and towards the end of January we were informed that another 11 containers were acquired from a different company, which was also subsequently stolen under the same pretences.”
They managed to recover five, three in Ottery, one in Gugulethu and one in Mfuleni.
This investigation led to the arrest of two suspects who were traced to an internet café in the area, where they were caught red-handed with compromising documents and three cell phones which implicated them and their involvement.
“Special thanks to Philippi-East SAPS for the role they played, in particular, Detective Warrant Officer Larry Arnoldus for his commitment to serve and protect vulnerable victims, he went beyond the call of duty to assist us,” he said.
He warned the general public to refrain from purchasing goods that are suspicious and treat all goods or products as suspected stolen goods. “Those who unknowingly purchase goods that are later found to be stolen can be arrested for possession of stolen goods.”
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said police are investigating the cases.
“Two suspects aged 34 and 36 were arrested and detained. Both made their court appearances in the Athlone Magistrate’s court on a charge of theft.”
Weekend Argus