South African police have rescued 90 Ethiopian migrants being held against their will at a property in Johannesburg. The discovery occurred during a search for a kidnapped individual, who was also rescued. The migrants had been illegally trafficked from Ethiopia and, according to the police, were found packed into small rooms and locked up. Following their rescue, they were taken to a hospital for medical care. The discovery validates the concerns of Interpol and other authorities who have spoken out against the trafficking of Ethiopian migrants through southern African countries, often under dangerous conditions. Previous incidents include the 2020 discovery of 64 dead Ethiopians in a freight container in Mozambique and the 2022 findings of mass graves in Malawi and Zambia containing Ethiopian migrants. Meanwhile, the rescue operation also resulted in the arrest of two individuals who the police intend to charge with kidnapping and human trafficking.
SOURCE: AP NEWS