A dramatic high-speed chase in the Johannesburg CBD ended with the arrest of a 47-year-old foreign national and the rescue of 10 teenage boys.
This follows a joint operation by Fox Security, Johannesburg Metro Police, SAPS Mondeor, and the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime unit.
Colonel Katlego Mogale, spokesperson for the Hawks, said Johannesburg Metro Police officers on patrol were alerted to a disturbing scene on Broad Street in Mulbarton, where they found eight half-naked teenagers walking on foot.
“Upon further inquiries, the officers established that the teenagers were foreign nationals who could not speak English. The officers were also informed that there were two more boys who had already been taken away in a blue VW Jetta,” Mogale explained.
He added that the vehicle was later intercepted along the street, but the driver fled, sparking a high-speed chase that ended on Commissioner Street. The chase concluded with the arrest of the suspect and the rescue of the two half-naked teenagers.
The suspect is set to appear in the Booysens Magistrates Court on Thursday, 8 January, facing charges of illegal immigration and suspected human trafficking, as authorities continue a full-scale investigation into the case.
Meanwhile, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, Provincial Head of the Hawks in Gauteng, praised the multidisciplinary effort displayed by the team in combating trafficking in persons in the province.
The Star
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