Two male suspects travelling in a suspicious white Toyota Quantum were spotted along the N1 North road in Polokwane, on Friday and were intercepted and arrested, in connection with human smuggling through the Beitbridge outside Musina when eight male illegal immigrants from different countries were found in the vehicle.
The illegal immigrants were smuggled into the country from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, according to preliminary reports. At the time of their arrest, they were being transported to Gauteng from a house in Louis Trichardt.
The suspects were arrested through a joint operation by the provincial tracking team, Crime Intelligence Unit and Private Security. In response to intelligence about foreign nationals being smuggled into the country through Beitbridge outside Musina, the police acted immediately.
Police stopped and searched a vehicle matching the description which was provided provided to the police, travelling along the N1 North road, and eight foreign nationals from different countries were discovered inside.
All 10 men including the driver and passenger were arrested on the spot when they failed to give a satisfactory explanation about the origin and the destination of the people they were transporting.
The illegal immigrants aged between 18 and 25 are facing charges of contravention of the immigration act when the two South African men, including the driver and passenger aged 27 and 37 are facing human smuggling cases.
The Police investigations are still continuing.
The suspects are expected to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate's court on Tuesday.
Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has applauded the members for arresting the suspects.
She further ordered that a thorough investigation into the matter be done in order to curb the human smuggling incidents in the province.
IOL