Teenage girl linked to Springs human trafficking syndicate

A 17-year-old girl has been arrested in connection with an alleged human trafficking syndicate operating in Springs‚ police said on Sunday.

“The girl was recruiting young girls into this thing‚” said Captain Thivhulawi Tshilate.

“She is in custody at the Walter Sisulu Children’s prison.”

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The human trafficking ring was busted following a tip-off to police on Friday.

“Police received information that there were some girls being kept in a house on 8th street in the Springs CBD. Police acted fast as they heard these girls were about to be moved from the house‚” Tshilate said.

Two police officers who were patrolling the area rushed to the premises where they found five girls. Two of them are 14 years old‚ one is 15‚ another is 17 while the oldest was 19 years old.

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The four young girls said they were from Balfour in Mpumalanga while the 19-year-old said she was from KwaThema‚ a township in Springs.

The house owner‚ a Nigerian national was also present in the house. He failed to answer questions on what the girls were doing in his house.

“Police further searched the premises and found a heap of pornographic material. They conducted a body search on him and found him with drugs‚” Tshilate said.

He was arrested and charged with human trafficking‚ possession of drugs and pornography.

Child Protection Services was called in and the girls were taken in for medical examinations before being taken to a place of safety in Benoni.

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“Investigators are still trying to locate their parents and determine how they got there‚” said Tshilate.

Meanwhile‚ police have since established that the 42-year-old Nigerian national they arrested has other pending matters against him.

“He has a pending case of rape and kidnapping a 19-year-old girl from KwaThema. He was out on bail‚” said Tshilate.

The suspect is to appear in the Springs Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

“The 17-year-old could possibly also be appearing‚” said Tshilate.