8 minors found in station storeroom: Suspect arrested in Pretoria

A 35-year-old suspect was arrested in connection with the trafficking of eight minors following a joint operation conducted in Pretoria by the Rapid Rail Police Unit yesterday.

The operation focused on bolstering police visibility and crime prevention efforts, and involved stop-and-search operations, monitoring of known hotspots, and various other policing strategies.

According to police spokesperson Warrant Officer Johann van Dyk, the suspect is allegedly the mastermind behind a human trafficking operation. The suspect’s identity remains undisclosed for security reasons and pending further investigation.

He says police discovered eight teenagers hidden in a storeroom at Bosman Station.

“The minors, who had been transported from Zimbabwe, were intended to be smuggled to the Eastern Cape. They had crossed the border illegally and were being transported without valid documentation.”

Others arrested

Van Dyk says that in addition to the human trafficking case, another arrest was made involving a suspect caught with an unlicensed firearm.

The officers also arrested 15 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol, one for theft, one for selling illicit alcohol, two for drug possession, one for drug dealing, and three for being undocumented.

“Various fines were issued and numerous items, suspected to be stolen, were confiscated, including solar panels, cellphones, tower batteries, sports lights, remotes, cable chargers and 21 cellphones, collectively valued at approximately R42 000,” he says.

Those arrested are due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court soon.