The South African police discovered and freed 90 Ethiopian migrants in northeast Johannesburg who were held against their will in poor conditions by a criminal group involved in human trafficking, South African police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe reported.
"The South African Police Service (SAPS) Special Task Force (STF) unit has rescued 90 undocumented Ethiopian nationals who were allegedly being kept against their will and under inhuman conditions in Sunnydale Ridge, Johannesburg," the police's statement reads.
A multidisciplinary team led by the STF, while tracing a victim of kidnapping for ransom, also discovered undocumented nationals who were found locked up, confined, and packed into rooms. They added that investigations are underway to determine how these nationals were trafficked into South Africa.
Three people suspected of human trafficking have been detained, and all the Ethiopian citizens have been hospitalized for an assessment of their physical condition.
An investigation has been launched into how the Ethiopian citizens ended up in South Africa with no documents providing their illegal arrival and stay.