GEORGE NEWS - A 34-year-old woman is expected to appear in the George Magistrate’s Court tomorrow on charges relating to human trafficking.

The Hawks based in George arrested the suspect yesterday, 16 December. They received information on Wednesday, 13 December, that three young girls had been trafficked from West Africa into South Africa a few months ago inside a shipping container.

“They were allegedly given fake passports. Information was that the girls were advertised on an escort website and were kept in a residential complex in George,” reads a statement issued by the Hawks.

The Serious Organised Crime Investigation team promptly acted on this intelligence, conducting a search at the specified premises where they found four females, whom they suspect have been trafficked. The victims, aged between 21 and 47, were rescued and are kept in a place of safety after they were taken for medical assessment.

The suspect, who is allegedly the caretaker on the premises, face charges of contravention of Section 4(1) and Section 7 of the Prevention and Combatting of the Trafficking in Persons Act, Act 7 of 2013.

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