The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, has arrested a 40-year-old man after he handed himself over in connection with fraudulent activities relating to travel vouchers.
On Wednesday, Colonel Katlego Mogale said the suspect was appearing before the Specialised Commercial Crime Court, sitting in Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court.
“The suspect is alleged to have been involved in fraudulent activities relating to travel vouchers. The suspect is said to have sold holiday packages to holidaymakers for trips to the Maldives which they paid monies into the Priority Escapes (company). When due to embark on the trips, the clients found out that Priority Escapes had ceased operations and never received any refunds,” said Mogale.
“Following a rigorous investigation by the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation, it was discovered that the suspect had utilised over R2.1 million deposited for personal gain.”
In December 2023, IOL reported that police in Limpopo had intensified their search for alleged holiday swindler, Francois Swart, whose Gauteng-based travel agency, Priority Escapes, is accused of defrauding holiday companies in Modimolle of money, running into millions of rands.
“Swart is alleged to have defrauded many would-be holidaymakers of hundreds of thousands of rands,” Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said at the time.
“According to the information available at this stage, a case of fraud was opened at the Modimolle police station in August (2023). The complainant alleged that two companies were defrauded of more than R130,000 by Priority Escapes.”
At the time, the police issued a warrant of arrest for Swart, the managing director of the travel agency.
The Star