Hawks raid alleged Mbombela loan sharks’ offices
A raid of alleged loan sharks’ offices was arranged by the National Credit Regular following reports that ID books were being withheld.
The Mpumalanga Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) raided several alleged illegal loan sharks’ offices in Mbombela yesterday.
They confiscated thousands of bank cards, Sassa cards and ID books.
Six alleged loan sharks were arrested during the raid.
Provincial Hawks’ spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi says the raid and arrests came after the National Credit Regulator (NCR) informed them that several loan sharks were withholding the ID books of people who had borrowed money from them.
This would have made it impossible for these people to vote.
Since the NCR cannot execute an arrest, the Hawks were asked to accompany them to raid a building in Bester Street.
“Our aim while going there was to raid two [alleged] loan sharks’ offices. We found various ID books and other money cards. We found they were operating illegally, so we confiscated the cards and ID books and arrested six suspects. We believe that as the process continues, more people will be arrested,” she says.
Sekgotodi says the six suspects could face charges of fraud and operating illegal businesses.
Loan sharks should refrain from holding people’s IDs, which is illegal, she says.
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