PCCB nabs 137 over bank cards fraud

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) have arrested more than 137 suspects, including two Chinese nationals, in connection with engaging in illicit financial gains, tax evasion and money laundering.

The arrests were confirmed by the Head of PCCB Kinondoni Region, Mr Christian Nyakizee, during a media briefing in Dar es Salaam yesterday, following a special investigation conducted in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, financial institutions and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).

Mr Nyakizee said the suspects are alleged to have used stolen bank card details belonging to foreign nationals to obtain funds through electronic payment systems, including Point of Sale (POS) machines and online platforms, to pay for various services in Tanzania.

“PCCB has, for a period of approximately seven months since May 2025, been conducting a special investigation targeting crimes involving the use of stolen bank card details to obtain illicit funds,” he said.

He added that suspects linked to the theft of bank card information originate from several countries, including China, Cameroon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Poland and Romania, and that they collaborated with some Tanzanian citizens by using their bank accounts during the withdrawal of the funds.

Mr Nyakizee said the suspects were arrested, searched and interrogated in the regions of Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Dar es Salaam and the Islands of Zanzibar.

“Preliminary investigations have established that more than 18bn/- was laundered through this scheme over a period of four years, from 2022 to 2025,” he said.

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According to PCCB, three cases have already been filed at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court for offences related to tax evasion, money laundering and economic sabotage. Those charged include seven Chinese nationals, one Bulgarian national and one Tanzanian.

Mr Nyakizee said 1bn/- has already been recovered, while another 3bn/- has been frozen in suspects’ bank accounts pending the completion of investigations.

On the arrests made on Tuesday, he said the operation led to the apprehension of two Chinese nationals, Yao Licong and Wang Weisi, residents of Oysterbay Phoenix Apartments in Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam.

“They were arrested while transporting 707,075 US dollars (about 1.73bn/-) and 281.45m/- in Tanzanian currency, which were found inside a vehicle, packed in travel bags,” Mr Nyakizee said, adding that the two suspects had been on PCCB’s wanted list for a long time.

He said the funds are suspected to be proceeds of money laundering through stolen bank card information and that the suspects failed to prove the legality of the source of the money.

In addition to the bank card fraud allegations, Mr Nyakizee said Yao Licong had previously been sought by PCCB over the alleged establishment of five shell companies under investigation for tax evasion and money laundering involving 1.8tri/-.

“The amount is alleged to have gone untaxed by the Tanzania Revenue Authority between 2019 and 2025,” he said, noting that the suspects have already been arraigned before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court on economic sabotage charges.

PCCB investigations further revealed that the stolen bank card details belonged to victims from 11 countries, including the United States, Canada, Colombia, Argentina, Japan, Uruguay, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia and China.

Mr Nyakizee said the funds were unlawfully withdrawn from victims’ personal accounts and traced to card payments for services in Tanzania, despite the cardholders, never having received such services in the country during the relevant periods.

“The suspects used POS machines, payment links, e-commerce platforms and various control numbers to pay for services including tourism, healthcare, accommodation, air travel and government taxes,” he said.

He added that the illicit funds were channelled into merchant company accounts, mostly belonging to small-scale Tanzanian traders, many of them young people operating accounts in various local banks.

Mr Nyakizee said legal proceedings are ongoing against other suspects, including efforts to recover stolen funds from affected bank card accounts.

“PCCB warns Tanzanians seeking quick wealth through illegal schemes to stop registering shell companies, either independently or in collaboration with foreign nationals, for the purpose of facilitating bank card fraud,” he said.

He added, “We call upon all citizens to refrain from corrupt practices and to actively participate in preventing such acts within their communities. The public should also cooperate with investigators and provide testimony in court when required.”