SAPS
A 56-year-old man is in police custody in Gauteng following his arrest on Friday for possession of stained bank notes and prohibited chemicals.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili says members from Crime Intelligence Aggravated Robberies, SAPS, EMPD STT, FNB PTCM, Vusela Covert Intel, and Blue Hawks Tactical Unit pounced on the suspect and searched his premises.
Police did not elaborate on the prohibited chemicals found on the premises.
The suspect is expected to appear in court soon.
Meanwhile, police reminded the public, never to accept stained bank notes as they have likely been discoloured from ink dye used in security devices such as ATMs.
The machines hold cash in special containers that protect the money with dye-stain technology that will activate when someone tries to break it open.
In most cases the notes will be stained with green dye, rendering them unusable as currency with no monetary value.
People who have these notes make themselves suspects of a criminal investigation that will seek to determine if they were involved in the stealing and unauthorised access of these ATM containers.
In the aftermath of the July riots in 2021, the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) noticed a large number of dye-stained notes circulating in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, following the destruction of multiple ATMs.
