Nine Bangladeshi nationals were denied entry into South Africa at OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday after Border Management Authority (BMA) officials discovered they were travelling with fraudulent South African visas and fake Indian passports.
The group was intercepted during immigration processing when officials detected irregularities in their travel documents.
According to the BMA, preliminary investigations revealed that all nine travellers were in possession of fraudulent South African visas allegedly issued by the South African High Commission in New Delhi, India.
Three women were travelling on Bangladeshi passports, while six men initially presented Indian passports. However, further questioning and verification led to the men producing Bangladeshi passports, exposing the alleged deception.
BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato praised immigration officials for preventing the travellers from entering the country, saying the incident highlighted the growing sophistication of international document fraud syndicates.
“The detection of these fraudulent visas and passports is a testament to the vigilance, expertise and commitment of BMA officials who continue to safeguard the integrity of South Africa’s borders,” said Masiapato.
He said criminal syndicates were constantly developing new methods to bypass immigration controls, but BMA officials remained equipped to identify fraudulent documentation and prevent unlawful entry.
Following the investigation, all nine individuals were refused entry into South Africa in line with the Immigration Act and border management protocols. Arrangements were subsequently made for their return to Bangladesh.
Masiapato said investigations were continuing to determine the origin of the fraudulent visas and passports, as well as whether the individuals were linked to broader transnational criminal syndicates.
The commissioner added that the BMA would continue strengthening its detection capabilities and intelligence-led operations to combat document fraud, human smuggling and other forms of organised cross-border crime.
The incident forms part of the authority’s ongoing efforts to tighten border security and protect the integrity of South Africa’s immigration system.
