Senegalese wrestler Oumar Kane, better known as Reug Reug, has been placed in police custody in Dakar as part of an investigation into a counterfeit banknote case, according to information published by Seneweb.
The athlete was apprehended by the Faidherbe gendarmerie and is being held at the unit’s premises along with several others. The investigation is ongoing, and the responsibilities of each individual have yet to be determined.
According to L’Observateur newspaper, the investigation relied on an undercover operation by the Faidherbe Research Brigade and centred on a stash of “black money” notes — bills chemically treated to appear black — with an estimated face value of around 900 million CFA francs.
The case reportedly began on 20th September with a tip-off that individuals were said to be in possession of blackened 100-dollar bills and were looking for a technician capable of “washing” them. This information was passed to the Faidherbe Research Brigade, prompting the planning of an operation to identify the holders of these notes and any potential associates.
According to L’Observateur, two gendarmes were assigned to pose as specialised technicians. Their cover was intended to allow them to make contact with the suspects without arousing suspicion. The investigators managed to obtain the phone number of Diégane Faye, also known as Saltigué Dibo who had the black bills.
Faye explained that he worked with figures from the wrestling world and reportedly named the wrestler and facilitated contact with Mamadou Bamba Ndiaye —nicknamed “Usine” — whom the daily newspaper identified as Reug-Reug’s maternal uncle.
Eventually, Reug-Reug was arrested with a cardboard box containing “black banknotes” worth 900 million CFA francs. The arrested suspects are expected to appear before the court today while three other wanted individuals remained at large.