Three Peruvian women have been rescued from a lodge in Gqeberha after they were allegedly lured to South Africa and drawn into a suspected online scam targeting people in their home country.
The operation was launched in response to the Hawks receiving information via the National Human Trafficking Hotline about an 18-year-old woman that was allegedly recruited with the promise of a job at an online call centre.
On the 2nd October, the woman reportedly arrived at OR Tambo International Airport and was transported to Gqeberha the following day. However, upon arriving at a lodge in Bluewater Bay, she allegedly discovered that she was misled.
Preliminary information indicate that lodge was being used to conduct online scams targeting people in Peru. Participants were reportedly expected to communicate in Spanish. The woman subsequently contacted her father in Peru who then alerted authorities.
On Friday, members of the Hawks and Department of Home Affairs’ Immigration Division visited the premises and found 26 people – 14 Peruvian women and 12 men, including two South African nationals employed as drivers and two Chinese nationals identified as tenants associated with the online business.
Electronic equipment, including laptops, desktop computers and cellular telephones, was seized for further investigation. No arrests have yet been made. Investigations are ongoing.
