Nine people accused of VAT fraud appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday.
NPA spokesperson Phindi Louw said they were all released on bail.
Four of the accused are from KwaZulu-Natal.
They are Ahmed Mulla (50), Ahmed Amla (37), Shaleem Hoosen (54) and Soayb Joosub (39).
All four were released on R100 000 bail each.
Their five co-accused are from Centurion.
They are Ridwaan Joosab (41), Shazia Joosab (37), Mohammed Joosab (65), Zuber Patel (39) and Adnan Ravat (50).
The five were granted bail of between R20 000 and R100 000.
ALSO READ: Woman arrested for R5 million VAT fraud
All nine would be back in court on 15 February.
The Hawks and the SA Revenue Service arrested them during a search-and-seizure clampdown earlier this week.
The operation was conducted at 12 premises in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal simultaneously.
A number of businesses were also raided.
ALSO READ: Five nabbed in Centurion over VAT scam
Police Minister Fikile Mbalua lauded the detective work that led to the arrests.
“Criminal syndicates are extremely sophisticated. Therefore the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies have to be as sophisticated,” said Mbalula.
The minister said intelligence-led investigations under the police’s Organised Crime Threat Assessment (OCTA)was a major tool to target formerly “untouchable” syndicates.
“Through OCTA, I am saying to top gangs and top crime families, South Africa is being disinfected of your kind, watch your back because we are watching you. You are next.”
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