Twenty-five foreign nationals, aged between 20 and 44, were arrested by police near Polokwane for contravention of the Immigration Act. Police said they received information regarding a white Toyota Quantum that was found driving along R81 road in Solomondale from the Beitbridge port of entry in Musina coming from Zimbabwe heading to Polokwane in Limpopo.

SAPS spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the operational team managed to trace and spot the said Quantum at a filling station along R81 road and upon checking they discovered that twenty-three Ethiopian male nationals aged between 20 and 38 years who were being ferried in a 15 seater passenger mini-bus by a 44-year-old driver, who is a South African citizen.

"Preliminary investigations revealed that all the passengers in the said Quantum were illegally smuggled into South Africa from Ethiopia through Zimbabwe. 

It is reported that while in the process of searching in the Quantum and the passengers, they suddenly saw a white motor vehicle Toyota Fortuner which stopped at the scene being driven by a male foreign national,"said Ledwaba.

 Ledwaba added that the driver of the Quantum was found in possession of a licensed firearm and it was confiscated for investigation purposes.

"Meanwhile, the driver of the Fortuner reportedly tried to bribe the police with R5000 to let the Quantum with the passengers go free and subsequently, he was charged for bribery. The arrested two drivers and suspects are facing charges of human trafficking, bribery, and contravention of Immigration Act,"he said.The suspects are expected to appear before Mankweng Magistrates Court today.