A 34-year-old woman is expected to appear in the George Magistrate’s Court tomorrow on charges relating to human trafficking.

The Hawks based in George arrested the suspect yesterday.

They received information on Wednesday that three women had been trafficked from West Africa into South Africa a few months ago, inside a shipping container.

They were allegedly given fake passports. Information was that the women were advertised on an escort website and were kept in a residential complex in George, the Hawks said in a statement.

The Serious Organised Crime Investigation team acted promptly, conducting a search at the premises where they found the women, who they suspect have been trafficked.

The victims, aged between 21 and 47, were rescued and are being kept at a place of safety after they were taken for medical assessment.

The suspect, who is allegedly the caretaker of the premises, faces charges of contravention of Section 4(1) and Section 7 of the Prevention and Combatting of the Trafficking in Persons Act, Act 7 of 2013.