Fourteen Ethiopians and sixteen Bangladeshis were intercepted at OR Tambo International Airport in two separate incidents.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has disrupted a suspected human trafficking operation and intercepted fourteen Ethiopians and sixteen Bangladeshis at OR Tambo International Airport in two separate incidents.
In the first incident, on Thursday, 11 December, fourteen Ethiopian nationals, comprising five men and nine women, were intercepted upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport.
Ethiopians
BMA spokesperson Mmemme Mogotsi said they were all travelling on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
Their interception followed the BMA’s analysis of passenger details, which flagged their movement pattern as suspicious.
“Preliminary investigations revealed a modus operandi commonly used in human trafficking syndicates, where individuals attempt to transit through South Africa en route to neighbouring countries and later re-enter South Africa. As a result of these findings, all fourteen individuals were intercepted,” Mogotsi said.
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Bangladeshi’s
In a separate incident, 16 Bangladeshi men were intercepted after BMA officials discovered they were in possession of fraudulent visas.
Mogotsi said the group arrived on another Ethiopian Airlines flight and were identified after officers noticed them blending suspiciously among South African travellers in the maze area.
“Through profiling, the individuals were separated from the queue and referred to the BMA Border Law Enforcement Office for secondary investigation.
“Their documentation was confirmed to be fraudulent and their intentions inconsistent with legitimate travel, raising concerns of possible human trafficking activity,” Mogotsi said.
Human trafficking
Mogotsi said these interventions form part of the authority’s intensified efforts to combat human trafficking, irregular migration and transnational organised crime, particularly during the festive season peak.
Acting Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Jane Thupana, commended the officers involved for their vigilance, technical capability and swift action, emphasising that these interceptions demonstrate the effectiveness of the BMA’s intelligence-led approach to border management.
“She noted that the authority’s integrated use of advance passenger data, behavioural profiling and on-the-ground enforcement remains central to preventing South Africa from being exploited as a corridor for criminal networks,” Mogotsi said.
Border security
Mogotsi said the BMA continues to tighten border security measures during the festive season and remains committed to protecting the Republic from irregular migration, visa fraud, and human trafficking syndicates.
“The authority will continue to work with national and international partners to ensure that South Africa’s ports of entry are secure and that all attempts to undermine national security are decisively countered,” Mogotsi said.
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