19 Bangladeshi nationals have been rescued by police from a house in Kamagugu outside Mbombela, in Mpumalanga on Monday.

The Bangladesh nationals were kept in the house against their will. They are suspected to have been trafficked into the country.

Provincial police spokesperson Selvy Mohlala says a 55-year-old man accused of human trafficking has been arrested and will be charged with human trafficking.

“We have arrested one person from Bangladesh and we are charging him with human trafficking. Some of the Bangladesh nationals that we found here were told that they were destined for Middelburg and other for Johannesburg. This is not the end of our investigation, we will continue working hand in hand with the Department of Home Affairs. And we hope that the kingpins wherever they are, we will get them.”

One person arrested for human trafficking in Mpumalanga, and 20 foreign nationals rescued: 

Police pounced on the suspect and found 19 men cramped inside a house.
With no communication outside this tinny house, the men’s passports and cell phones were confiscated.

Police believe there’s a human trafficking syndicate, operating in the province.
A 55-year-old man, also a Bangladesh national was arrested. He is facing a charge of human trafficking.

The rescued men will be handed over to Home Affairs. They are likely to be deported back to their home country.