Six alleged human traffickers are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Monday after they were arrested on New Year’s Eve in Sunnyside.
Police rescued a 17-year-old who reportedly left her Hammanskraal home in March last year and a 25-year-old from a flat after receiving information from the Human Trafficking Hotline.
In a separate incident, two suspects aged 39 and 25 are expected to appear in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court after three human trafficking victims were rescued on Thursday last week from an alleged brothel operating under the guise of a guest house.
The arrests in Sunnyside were a result of a joint operation by the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation and the Tshwane K9 unit. It emerged that two of the four are fugitives who had been on the run since September 2019.
Addressing the issue of human trafficking: Dr. Marcel van der Watt
They were allegedly linked to another case of human trafficking where nine suspects were arrested and their case is now at the Pretoria High Court.
The two suspects arrested in Benoni will be appearing in court for contravening the Trafficking in Persons Act 7 of 2013 for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
All victims were taken to a place of safety.
#sapsHQ Four suspects arrested for #HumanTrafficking and two victims rescued in Sunnyside, Pretoria by multi-disciplinary team that included the #Hawks, assisted by the Tshwane K9 unit on 31/12. NP https://t.co/jFR0ZhH7ta pic.twitter.com/8dO3tkuwVv
— SA Police Service ?? (@SAPoliceService) January 1, 2022
