Six suspects linked to the human trafficking of two Indian nationals are expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning.
The suspects were arrested in Mayfair, Johannesburg on Wednesday in a sting operation by various units in the South African Police Service (SAPS) led by the anti-kidnapping task team.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the two women, from India, aged 20 and 24, have since been rescued.
She said the team consisting of private security received intelligence on a Johannesburg-based human trafficking network preying on Indian women.
“These women were allegedly enticed to the country with false promises of employment,” Mathe said.
“Where upon arrival they were kept against their will, offered to clients leading to sexual encounters.”
She said SAPS identified an address and pounced on a commercial site in Mayfair.
Mathe said police seized cellphones, numerous documents including passports and cash for further investigation.
The suspects face charges of human trafficking, sex trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion.
Mathe said investigations were ongoing.
In December Monique Emser from the University of KwaZulu-Natal an expert on human trafficking issues, said serious problems pertaining to weak governance, corruption, lack of capacity and funding remain as barriers to successfully addressing human trafficking.
In South Africa, labour trafficking followed by sex trafficking was prevalent.
IOL News