Cape Town police have cracked down on an alleged cyber fraud operation after four foreign nationals were arrested in Bothasig and linked to suspected card cloning activity. The suspects, three women and one man, are expected to appear in the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 23 March 2026.

Hawks Raid Uncovers Suspected Cyber Fraud Setup

According to Hawks provincial spokesperson Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani, the arrests followed information about an illegal abalone storage facility in Bothasig. During the operation, officials spotted one female suspect entering the property. When they moved in, they found three more foreign nationals in a garage, allegedly working on laptops.

Hani said investigators then uncovered a range of items linked to possible cybercrime activity. These included numerous cellphones, SIM cards, bank cards, a point-of-sale card reader, a card printer, blank bank cards and a black ledger containing transaction information. She said investigators established that the suspects were allegedly cloning various cards at the premises.

Devices, Cards and Records Seized

The scene was later handed over to specialist units, including the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team, Hawks Cybercrime Investigation, the Local Criminal Record Centre and SABRIC. Hani said evidence collected from the property included four laptops, 103 cellphones, 82 bank cards, 187 SIM cards, a POS machine and three notebooks.

The scale of the seizure points to what appears to be a well-equipped operation.

Suspects Face Multiple Charges

The four suspects, aged between 36 and 48, face charges of unlawful interception of data, unlawful acts involving software or hardware tools, cyber fraud and possession of suspected stolen property. They were arrested on Friday, 20 March 2026.

Their court appearance in Goodwood is expected to be the first step in what could become a closely watched cybercrime case in the Western Cape.