Young teen rescued from alleged abductors
Girl rescued from alleged abductors and family members arrested in Heidelberg on June 15.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation provincial head in Gauteng, Maj-Gen Ebrahim Kadwa, commended the investigation team for the unwavering success when rescuing a 13-year-old girl from an alleged human trafficking syndicate in Heidelberg on June 15.
A multi-disciplinary driven operation was conducted by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption and Organised Crime Investigation teams in Vaal Rand, working with Vanderbijlpark SAPS Task Team for serious and violent crimes and Family Violence and Sexual Offences Unit in the Vaal Rand.
The operation resulted in the arrest of two women for trafficking in persons, conspiracy to sell a minor for sexual exploitation, abduction and theft of a child.
The investigation team followed up on human trafficking activities planned in the Heidelberg area, where a stepmother and step-grandmother allegedly conspired to sell their 13-year-old stepdaughter to a human trafficking syndicate for R40-million.
A waylay investigation was put in motion and the joint police team seized the R30 000 entrapment cash and electronic gadgets for further investigation. The rescued minor was taken to a place of safety.
“What is rather disturbing with this situation is that family members were found to be involved in the alleged crime committed against their own. Setting up an operation of this magnitude shows bravery and we applaud the investigation team for executing it without anyone being harmed and the child was rescued safely. In the past few months we have made a major breakthrough in successfully dismantling illegal brothels in the Vaal Rand, where police officers were arrested for human trafficking-related allegations.” said Kadwa.
The pair appeared in the Heidelberg Magistrate’s Court on June 17. Investigations are ongoing.
