80 undocumented migrants arrested in Tshwane police raid

Authorities in the City of Tshwane clamped down on several illicit businesses in the capital yesterday, including a hazardous illegal plastic manufacturer supplying some of the country’s biggest retailers. 

Called Operation Heatwave – the raid saw joint operations by the Tshwane Metro Police Department, Home Affairs and SAPS to stamp out criminality in the metro. 

One of the illegal factories, located in Pretoria Wests Industrial Complex, is suspected to be supplying plastic bags to some of the biggest retailers in the country. 

Spar plastic bags were found on the property.

Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner, General Fred Kekana who led the sting operation, says it’s a worrying trend that filthy and unregulated goods continue to make their way onto the local market. 

Ten undocumented Malawian workers were found and arrested at the illegal plastic factory, with the owner still at large.

Kekana could confirm that police are investigating whether the workers had been trafficked. 

The Deputy Commissioner also revealed that after more than 80 undocumented people were arrested at three illicit businesses.

He’s warned that more raids will continue in the capital in coming days. 

Police also uncovered a suspected hijacked building, housing illegal migrants along Eskia Mphahlele Drive and a chop shop making scraps of stolen vehicles. 

Hidden at the back of a Tshwane spaza shop- authorities uncovered a secret compound, made up of shacks and other informal structures. 

Living in the tight alleyways, were young mothers and their children – some of them undocumented Zimbabwean nationals. 

Tshwane Police Chief, Yolanda Faro, could confirm the children would be deported along with their mothers, should they be found to be illegally in the country.

Meanwhile, police recovered at-least seven stolen vehicles from the chop shop in Marabastad. 

The scrapyard had been under police surveillance for at least three weeks, with one of the warehouses storing hundreds of suspected stolen car engines. 

The owner has since been nabbed and is facing charges related to the possession of the stolen cars.