MEDIA RELEASE
NO. 561 / 2012
04 JULY 2012


Late on Tuesday 3 July 2012, the City of Cape Town’s Vice Squad followed up on information they received and headed to Brooklyn, where they arrested a Nigerian national for human trafficking.

They also rescued two women who were being sexually exploited and held at the residence against their will. Both women, aged 23 and 19 years, were originally from Johannesburg and had been trafficked to Cape Town.

The women were also forced by their captors to take drugs, which included dagga and rocks(crack).

The conditions inside the residence were unhygienic. The women had been provided with no food. All monies made by the women was taken by their captor on a daily basis.

During the arrest, an undisclosed amount of cash was seized and handed in at the SAPS and a second suspect is currently being sought as a result of the arrest.

The accused appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on 4 July 2012, on charges of kidnapping, assault, along with being charged under the Sexual Offences Act.

The Vice Squad has placed the two women in a place of safety, pending further investigation of the matter.

“The Vice Squad will continue to ensure that this kind of activity is brought to an abrupt end and communities are encouraged to let the authorities know whenever they suspect something illegal might be going on. These operations are made a top priority whenever they are brought to our attention,” said Nathan Ladegourdie, Spokesperson for Specialised Law Enforcement Services.

The case has now been handed over to the Hawks (human trafficking task team) for further investigation.


END

ISSUED BY: COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT, CITY OF CAPE TOWN

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

OPERATIONAL ENQUIRIES:
ASSISTANT CHIEF NATHAN LADEGOURDIE
SPOKESPERSON FOR SPECIALISED LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES
CITY OF CAPE TOWN
TEL: 021 900 1779 CELL: 073 709 3963

OTHER ENQUIRIES:
ALDERMAN J.P. SMITH
MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER: SAFETY AND SECURITY
CITY OF CAPE TOWN
TEL: 021 400 1311 CELL: 083 675 3780 E-MAIL: JEAN-PIERRE.SMITH@CAPETOWN.GOV.ZA