South African Border Management Authority (BMA) officials disrupted suspected human trafficking operations at OR Tambo International Airport on December 11, 2025, intercepting 30 foreign nationals amid heightened festive season security measures.​
In the first case, 14 Ethiopian nationals—five males and nine females—arrived on an Ethiopian Airlines flight, flagged by suspicious travel patterns linked to trafficking syndicates aiming to transit through South Africa to neighboring countries before re-entering. Separately, 16 Bangladeshi males were stopped in the arrivals area after officials spotted fraudulent visas and irregular behavior while blending with South African travelers.
Acting BMA Commissioner Jane Thupana confirmed the interceptions, emphasizing profiling, secondary checks, and collaboration with law enforcement to probe syndicate networks. The individuals were isolated for further investigation into their inconsistent travel intentions.
The BMA said the men’s stated intentions for entering the country were inconsistent with legitimate travel, raising concerns of possible trafficking.
Thupana commended officials for what she described as vigilant and intelligence-led work. She said the interceptions demonstrated the effectiveness of combining advanced passenger data, behavioural profiling, and on-site enforcement to prevent South Africa from being exploited as a transit corridor for organised criminal networks.
The Authority said it will maintain tightened security measures at all ports of entry throughout the festive season as part of efforts to curb irregular migration, visa fraud, and human trafficking. It also urged the public to report suspicious activity through the Operation Hi-Tivise hotline on 0801 229 019 or via its website.