A 33-year-old man is the third person to be arrested in connection with counterfeit money, after they tried to courier R8,000 in counterfeit notes.

Steven Bennet Mashele, 33, appeared in Ermelo Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga on Tuesday.

The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (known as the Hawks), said Mashele was arrested by their East London branch on allegations of contravention of the Prevention of Counterfeiting of Currency Act.

Two other people, Nomabhulu Albertina Zaba, 49, and Monica Nonelwa Mkhiva, 56, were arrested on November 1.

Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said both women appeared in the East London Magistrate’s Court and were released on a warning.

Charges against Zaba have since been provisionally withdrawn pending further investigation.

“It is alleged that the courier division of Pep Stores (Pepkor Logistics) in Johannesburg received a parcel which was destined for Pep Stores in Mdantsane for collection,” Mgolodela said.

“It is further reported that while the parcels were being sorted in the warehouse, one of the parcels was stuck in the conveyor belt and the packaging tore open,” she said.

“The supervisor was called and inspection was done where it was established that the contents of the parcel were counterfeit R200 notes worth R8,000.”

East London Hawks were notified.

“When the parcel arrived in East London, the person who collected the parcel was interviewed,” Mgolodela said.

“The counterfeit notes and suspects cellphones were confiscated for further investigation.”

Mashele was arrested in Ermela and will be a prisoner- in-transit and is expected back in court on Thursday alongside Mkhiva.

IOL News