JOHANNESBURG – The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), South African Revenue Service (Sars) and the South African Police Service (Saps) have raided the Gupta compound in Saxonwold on Monday.

Officials served a search and seizure order at the Johannesburg home.

#BREAKING The Assert Forfeiture Unit #AFU and #SARS are the #Gupta Compound in #SaxonworldWorld to seize their asserts. The #Guptas lawyer had refused to open the gates of the compound forcing the #AFU and #SARS to call for National Intervention in order to access the premises. pic.twitter.com/j0t2DJ4fGk

— Samkele Maseko (@samkelemaseko) April 16, 2018

The raid is reportedly linked to the Vrede dairy farm case.

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane last year found the Free State Agriculture Department did not improperly enter into a public/private partnership.

She did however find the department flouted procedural rules.

The farm was meant to benefit black farmers, but was instead used to syphon funds from the state.

“On 11 April 2017, NPA (Asset Forfeiture Unit) obtained a restraint order at the Bloemfontein High Court in the amount of R250,202,652.00 against the assets of several individuals and entities who were implicated in the offences of theft, fraud and money laundering, in respect of the Vrede dairy project: Estina matter,” News24 said, quoting the National Prosecuting Authority.

*Editor’s Note: This is a developing story, more details to follow.

eNCA