Police are holding Bulgarian national Todor Dimitrov Terziev until his hearing on 30 November, for allegedly contravening the Electronic Communications Act.
The SA Police Services (SAPS) says it received intelligence that Terziev would be arriving in SA on 1 October with sophisticated devices for committing fraud.
He was intercepted and arrested at OR Tambo International Airport during a joint operation by SAPS Crime Intelligence, the cyber crimes investigation unit and the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks).
The devices found in Terziev's possession are “meant for the duplication of bankcards, which has the potential of enabling a person or persons to commit fraud in the millions if not billions of rands”, says SAPS.
It adds that during the search of the target, he was found in possession of two of these hi-tech “skimming” devices, two laptops, and five cellular phones. “All of this equipment was seized as exhibits.”
The accused briefly appeared in the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes court on 3 October and was taken into custody. He was meant to appear in court on 5 October, for a formal bail application, but court officials say this did not happen.
Terziev is expected to next appear in court on 30 November.