Fraud Syndicate Suspects Arrested  After 5 Year Manhunt

A multi-provincial police operation has led to the arrest of two foreign nationals linked to a long-running fraud syndicate operating between KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

The syndicate is believed to have defrauded victims of hundreds of thousands of rands through fake vehicle sales advertised online.

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In a joint effort between the South African Police Service (SAPS) Commercial Crime Unit in Matatiele and members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), officers successfully apprehended two Malawian nationals in Ethekwini, KZN, on Thursday morning.

Ngcobo Arrested After 5 Years On The Run

The latest arrests follow the apprehension of 32-year-old Busisiwe Sunshine Ngcobo, a South African woman who evaded capture for nearly five years.

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A warrant of arrest was issued for Ngcobo under SAPS Maloti CAS 89/08/2020, in connection with defrauding a victim of R250,000 in the Eastern Cape.

She was found hiding in Ndwedwe, KwaZulu-Natal, and handed herself over on September 6, 2024, after RUSA officers pinpointed her location.

Following her arrest, investigating officers identified her accomplices—Malawian nationals who were tracked down to separate homes in Ethekwini.

Digital evidence, including transaction records and images of fraudulent vehicle advertisements, was discovered on their mobile devices.

The phones also contained multiple photos of the suspects posing with pistols and high-caliber weapons, although no firearms were found during the arrests.

Search Continues for Fugitive Yusuf “Van Damme” Chowes

Authorities have confirmed that a third suspect, identified as Yusuf Chowes—also known as Van Damme—remains at large.

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A photo of Chowes has been circulated, and law enforcement agencies urge the public to come forward with any information that could assist in his capture.

The fraud syndicate allegedly targeted victims by advertising non-existent vehicles, accepting deposits, and then disappearing without delivering the cars.

Several cases have since been linked to the same group across provincial borders.

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