DocumentOngoingNews

Sars Customs Officers Say No Bribe

GCIS / SAnewsRef: https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sars-customs-officers-say-no-bribe

Official source

Source domain: sanews.gov.za

Collected on 28 July 2026

Always confirm details on the official source before acting.

What this means

This SAnews article (dated 8 June 2018) reports that SARS customs officers at OR Tambo International Airport refused bribe offers from a passenger travelling to Dubai. The passenger offered customs officials bundles of currency, increasing the bribe to US$30 000 (about R390 000), which was refused; the passenger was arrested, searched (bag contained US$334 895, over R4 million), and a criminal case was registered with SAPS for attempted bribery, false declaration, and failure to declare, with the passenger remanded into custody. The article also describes a second incident the same day where two Dubai-bound passengers were intercepted for undeclared currency, leading to a criminal case for contravention of the Customs Act (failure to declare) and remand in custody.

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Facts

Reference

https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sars-customs-officers-say-no-bribe

Amounts

R 390 000, R 4 000 000, R 600 000

Key Takeaways

Date: Friday, 8 June 2018
Location: OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA)
Subject: SARS customs officers refused bribes
Passenger destination: Dubai
Bribe offered: US$30 000 (close to R390 000)
Customs search evidence: US$334 895 (over R4 million)
Criminal case registered: SAPS for attempted bribery, false declaration, failure to declare
Passenger status: removed from flight before take-off; remanded into custody
Second incident: same day, two passengers bound for Dubai intercepted for undeclared currency
Second incident evidence: more than R600 000 in US dollars and Pakistani Rupees hidden in laptop bag
Second criminal case: contravention of the Customs Act (failure to declare) at ORTIA Police Station
Second passenger status: remanded into custody
South African Revenue Service (SARS)
SARS Risk unit
SAPS (South African Police Service)
ORTIA Police Station
Customs officers (three)
Customs manager
SAnews
Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)
Editor Roze Britz
News Editor Janine Arcangeli
Editor-in-Chief Zanele Mngadi