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Nabbed with $1m cash at OR Tambo

- JOLENE MARRIAH

A 30-YEAR-old woman, who allegedly concealed more than $1 million (R 14.3m) in her luggage, was nabbed at OR Tambo Internatio­nal Airport on Friday afternoon.

Madiha Rafiq had been booked on an Emirates flight to Dubai when officials found money allegedly concealed in foil in her luggage.

The woman, who allegedly failed to disclose the money to officials, was arrested after police searched her bags. Metal detectors picked up the foil.

Rafiq, who is married to a Pakistani national, appeared in the Kempton Park Regional Court on Monday and was remanded in police custody.

A formal bail applicatio­n will be held on Friday.

Rafiq was charged for contraveni­ng exchange control regulation­s, Gauteng police spokesman Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu said.

In May, a Durban man was arrested at King Shaka Internatio­nal Airport as he allegedly tried to smuggle R8m in cash through customs.

The money was concealed in his luggage.

The 37-year-old had boarded an Emirates flight, en route to Dubai when he was nabbed.

According to a police source, the man had checked in four bags.

“The bags were scanned before they were sent on to the flight. The money was detected and the man was immediatel­y pulled off the flight by police and questioned,” said the source.

The source did not rule out the possibilit­y that the man was taking the money to Isis operatives.

“When someone leaves the country with this amount of money, all avenues have to be explored.”

The source said the man claimed he was going on business to Dubai and intended using the money to buy goods for reselling.

According to Sars, internatio­nal passengers are only allowed to carry an amount of up to R25 000 without authorisat­ion documentat­ion.

 ??  ?? A woman was arrested with $1 million in her luggage.
A woman was arrested with $1 million in her luggage.

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