Twenty-four foreign nationals have been arrested by Hawks members from the Newcastle Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit.

The suspects are Malawian nationals, aged between 18 and 28, and two Chinese nationals.

The arrests were effected in collaboration with the Newcastle Local Criminal Record Centre, the Illicit Mining Unit, Digital Forensic Investigation (DFI) KZN and the Immigration Office on Monday.

The joint operation followed a tip-off about potential human trafficking activity at the Northern Truck Stop in Newcastle on 14 January 2025.

The investigating team obtained a search warrant from the Newcastle Magistrate Court and initiated the operation on Monday.

During the search, the law enforcement agencies uncovered 22 Malawian and two Chinese suspects on the premises.

It was established that the suspects were manufacturing SIM cards in violation of the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication–Related Information Act (RICA).

A total of 24 suspects, including the two Chinese nationals, Zhang Shengatao and Liu Gou, were apprehended for contravening the Immigration Act.

On Wednesday, Zhang and Liu appeared before the Newcastle Magistrate Court for violation of the RICA Act. The case was postponed to 6 February 2025 for formal bail application.

The KwaZulu-Natal Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Provincial Head, Major General Dr Lesetja Senona commended the Hawks members for the arrests.