Welkom K9 Unit Arrests 15 Illegal Immigrants Travelling on a Bus Without Passports

• The Welkom K9 officers were behind the arrests of 15 illegal immigrants who were travelling on a bus
• The bus was stopped when the officers noticed that it had foreign number plates on Monday, 20 March
• In a separate case, the Welkom K9 Unit arrested a foreign national who was transporting drugs from Gauteng to the Western Cape

WELKOM - South African Police Service members in the Free State arrested 15 alleged illegal immigrants travelling without passports.

The arrests happened in Ventersburg on Monday, 20 March, when the Welkom K9 unit officers came across a bus transporting the foreign nationals.

Bus with foreign number plates stopped in Welkom, Free State

Free State police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng said the bus drew the K9 unit's attention because it had foreign number plates.

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The police officers then stopped the vehicle to ensure they had the correct travelling documents, according to TimesLIVE.

The passengers could not produce their documents, such as passports, which led to the arrest of six women and nine men. The occupants now face charges related to the contravention of the Immigration Act.

Thakeng added that another man was arrested for obstructing the course of justice and crimen injuria. All 16 will appear in the Ventersburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 22 March.

Drugs found on a bus travelling through Welkom

In a separate incident earlier this month, the Welkom K9 Unit acted on a tip which led to the of a 54-year-old foreign national who was travelling from Gauteng to the Western Cape.

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According to News24, passengers on the bus reported the man to the police and they found 25 boxes of drugs and 13 suspected counterfeit cellphones.

The illegal immigrant was found sitting behind the driver's seat and the boxes of drugs were placed in various locations on the bus.

4 Limpopo police officers arrested for stealing R5 000 from undocumented foreigners at Groblersdal Mall

Briefly News previously reported that four members of the SAPS were arrested after stealing R5 000 from undocumented foreigners in Groblersdal, Limpopo.

The police officers were handcuffed on Tuesday, 14 March, after allegedly forcefully taking money from the illegal immigrants.

According to TimesLIVE, the alleged robbery occurred last Wednesday, 8 March. The cops were reportedly driving an unmarked police minibus when they spotted the three men withdrawing money from an ATM at Groblersdal Mall.

Source: Briefly News