KZN police have arrested three suspects involved in a scheme that illegally facilitated marriages between South African women and foreign nationals.
KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said that the operation was a joint effort involving Crime Intelligence officers, the Metro Police Tactical Support Unit, the Sydenham Trio Task Team, and Home Affairs Immigration officials.
The investigation led to the discovery of a clandestine Home Affairs office located in a block of flats on Mathews Meyiwa Road in Greyville, Durban.
“The suspects would get hold of identity documents of South African women and marry them to strangers, especially undocumented foreign nationals so that the fake husbands would attain South African citizenship.”
Preliminary investigations have identified a Home Affairs official allegedly working in collusion with the suspects. “As investigations continue, more arrests cannot be ruled out. Several application forms, copies of identity documents, and electronic devices were seized during the operation,” he added.
Of the three arrested, two men are set to face charges of fraud, while a woman will be charged with defeating the ends of justice after she attempted to destroy evidence by tearing documents and threw them in a bin.“
Netshiunda said that the suspects are expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
The Mercury