22 foreign nationals rescued from possible human trafficking
Pretoria -Gauteng police have opened a human trafficking docket after they found 22 undocumented Zimbabwean and Mozambican nationals in a bakkie in Pretoria on Thursday.
The bakkie was pulled over during a roadblock near the R21 Irene off-ramp around 11:00, spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza said.
Gauteng traffic police found 15 children and seven adults inside. The children were aged between two months and 18 years, and the adults between 20 and 44 years.
None of the occupants had any documentation, including the 38-year-old driver. He had a forged passport, Kweza said. He allegedly told police he was taking the group to Tembisa, on the East Rand.
A case of human trafficking had been opened.
"The possibility of an involvement of a syndicate will also be investigated as similar cases were picked up in various areas recently,amp;" Kweza said.
Additional charges could be added to the docket.