LOTHAIR – The police acted swiftly on information and nabbed three mini buses with 42 suspected illegal immigrants from Mozambique on March 16.
The buses, which were en route to Durban, were intercepted near Lothair on the R33 Road, between Carolina and Amsterdam.
At about 08:30 the police conducted a stop-and-search-operation, when the suspected vehicles were spotted about an hour later.
“The three minibus drivers were stopped, and after a search was conducted, it was found that the 42 occupants had no legal documentation for entering South Africa,” Brig Selvy Mohlala, Mpumalanga police spokesman, said.
Police also discovered that none of them had paid for their journey, where further investigation revealed that someone sponsored the transport of the people to Durban, allegedly to work as laborers.
According to Brig Mohlala, later the same day a 39-year-old man, believed to be the mastermind behind the human trafficking, was also arrested.
“The Police are working in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs to investigate how the 42 people entered the country as well as others who have immigrated into the country illegally.”
The 39-year-old man is expected to appear along with the 42 suspects before the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court today, March 17, facing charges of human trafficking and other charges in relation to contravention of the Immigration Act.
