Free State police dismantled a syndicate involved in submitting falsified documents to financial institutions to illegally secure loans.

A local bank manager contacted the Odendaalsrus police on Wednesday (1/4) regarding a suspicious loan application.

Officers confiscated various bank cards and two vehicles. Photo: SAPS

A woman (47) had applied for a loan to the amount of R250,000. Although the bank provisionally granted approval for the application, subsequent security verification revealed that the salary advices submitted were fraudulent.

The police and the bank monitored the suspect based on this information. When the woman returned to the bank, preliminary investigations confirmed that all three salary advices in her possession were falsified.

“Further investigations revealed she was allegedly working with a Gauteng syndicate and had already defrauded several other financial institutions,” said Free State police spokesperson Palesa Thabana.

A multi-task team, including the Odendaalsrus visible police unit, detective branch, Welkom K9, and Lejweleputswa district highway patrol, obtained descriptions of the suspects and the vehicles they used.

The police spotted two vehicles matching the descriptions. Officers arrested the drivers and apprehended several other suspects in a nearby park. One driver fled the scene but the police eventually traced and arrested the individual in Welkom.

In total, the police arrested ten suspects, comprising nine men and a woman, between the ages of 23 and 49. Officers confiscated various bank cards and two vehicles, a silver Suzuki and a white Toyota Tazz.

The ten suspects will appear in the Odendaalsrus Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (7/4) on charges of fraud.

Provincial police commissioner Lt. Gen. Thabang Lesia said the police will focus efforts on fighting organised crime in the province. The Welkom commercial crimes unit will now handle the investigation.

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