Melikhaya Zagagana27 May 2024 | 7:30

Woman in court for human trafficking in George

The suspect was arrested by the Hawks in the Western Cape after officers received information that she was holding a woman against her will at a brothel in George.

Woman in court for human trafficking in George

Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) vehicles. Picture: GCIS

CAPE TOWN - A 39-year-old woman is expected to appear in the George Magistrates Court on Monday on charges of human trafficking.

The suspect was arrested by the Hawks in the Western Cape after officers received information that she was holding a woman against her will at a brothel in George.

According to the Hawks, the victim was taken to George Hospital for medical examination and moved to a place of safety.

"This arrest stems from an observation conducted by the Hawks on 25 May 2024 at a known brothel in George where an alleged assault complaint, which was attended by SAPS Visible Policing members, occurred," said Hawks spokesperson, Siyabulela Vukubi.

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"Upon further investigation on the matter, the Hawks established that the victim was being held up against her own free will by the suspect. The Hawks immediately went after the suspect and arrested her, investigation continues," Vukubi added.

This follows another incident in George, where three young girls who were hidden in a shipping container and given fake passports had been trafficked from West Africa to South Africa in December last year.