Hawks to probe claims that large-scale Chinese trafficking syndicate operating in SA

JOHANNESBURG - The Hawks have announced a new investigation after explosive claims that a large-scale Chinese trafficking syndicate is operating in the country.

The commitment came on the sidelines of sentencing, where seven Chinese nationals were each handed a 20-year jail term for human trafficking, kidnapping and forced labour.

The group, who operated under the company Beautiful City, were linked to the kidnapping of 91 Malawians, including 37 children, forced to work in a Johannesburg factory.

Courtroom drama broke out after the verdict, when the daughter of accused number six, Nancy Xiao, alleged that her family had been framed.

She claimed that a kingpin was the real mastermind, running a syndicate that brings illegal foreigners into the country.

Now the Hawks say they are taking her allegations seriously. They confirmed the investigating officer was in contact with Xiao and that they are working with MASA and the Department of Home Affairs to follow up.

Spokesperson Katlego Mogale: "We will follow up on the information that she brings forward. We are in contact with home affairs in all we do to ascertain when and how a person enters a country."

Mogale added that the unit routinely engaged foreign embassies, both of trafficking victims and of suspects, to build cases against criminal networks.

For now, the seven remain behind bars, each serving two decades.