A woman was caught trying to leave South Africa with almost R15m in US dollars  on Friday, SARS said.

She was trying to board a flight to Dubai at OR Tambo International Airport, the revenue service said in a statement.

Customs officials asked her to declare $1.08m million (R14.9m) found in her two checked-in bags. She could not explain the origin of the money.

She then allegedly tried to bribe two customs officials with R1 million. They turned her offer down.

She was handed to police and the cash was confiscated.

South African Reserve Bank regulations only allow an individual to leave the country with R25 000 in foreign currency or rand.

Anything over that has to be declared, and supporting documents from an authorised forex trader have to be produced.