Edited : South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) stopped human trafficking operations and prevented 14 Ethiopians and 16 Bangladeshis from entering the country illegally on 11 December at OR Tambo Airport.
The Acting Commissioner of BMA, Jane Thupana, confirmed two significant interceptions by BMA immigration and border law enforcement teams at the airport.
Firstly, five men and nine women, all Ethiopian nationals, were stopped on their arrival on an Ethiopian Airways flight as their movements were suspicious. They appeared to use a common modus operandi in human trafficking syndicates which is to try to transit through South Africa en route to neighbouring countries, and then later re-enter South Africa.
Then later on the same day 16 Bangladeshi men having also arrived on an Ethiopian Airways flight, but were stopped for having fraudulent visas. BMA officers noticed them blending suspiciously among South African travellers in the maze area.
The men were separated from the queue and BMA officers investigations confirmed their documentations were fraudulent. Plus their intentions were inconsistent with legitimate travel. This raised concerns of possible human trafficking activity.
Acting Commissioner Thupana said these interventions form part of the BMA’s intensified efforts to combat human trafficking, irregular migration and transnational organised crime. It also showed BMA’s commitment to protect the country from irregular migration, visa fraud, and human trafficking syndicates.
She commended the officers involved for their vigilance, technical capability and swift action. She also noted BMA’s use of advance passenger data, behavioural profiling and on-the-ground enforcement, which is central to preventing South Africa from being exploited as a corridor for criminal networks.
St Francis Chronicle 