The Border Management Authority (BMA) has intercepted a German national on Interpol’s most wanted list. The arrest took place during a routine border operation at OR Tambo International Airport on Friday, 15 November.

BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato praised the interception as a testament to the success of South Africa’s integrated border management strategy, which was recently strengthened by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with Interpol. The MOU, signed in Pretoria last Thursday by Masiapato and Brigadier Ntime Mokhine, Executive Director of Interpol’s National Central Bureau in Pretoria, aims to reinforce South Africa’s commitment to enhancing port security and collaborating with international law enforcement agencies.

The suspect, initially intercepted in Turkiye while traveling on a fraudulent Israeli passport, was returned to South Africa on 8 November 2024. Although he claimed to be an Israeli national, BMA officials, noting his German accent, confirmed through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation that he was not Israeli. Further investigation revealed that the man, who had been evading arrest for eight years on drug trafficking charges, was on Interpol’s Red List and had been living in Malawi under a false identity.

The suspect, who had travelled under both German and Israeli passports and is suspected of having stolen the Israeli identity, was arrested by Interpol and is now in custody awaiting extradition to Germany.

Dr Masiapato commended the professionalism and vigilance of the BMA officials involved in the operation, emphasizing that the interception highlights the critical role of the BMA in safeguarding South Africa’s borders and fighting transnational crime. He reiterated that the BMA remains committed to securing the country’s ports of entry against criminal activity, including human trafficking and other illegal practices.

The BMA also urged all travellers to adhere to immigration laws and security protocols to ensure the safe and lawful movement of people across South Africa’s 71 ports of entry.