CHATSWORTH Â – At least 35 illegal immigrants together with the factory owner that had employed them were arrested by the police members assisted by the Immigration officials from Home Affairs at a shoe factory in Chatsworth. The Crime Intelligence members gathered information on a shoe factory operating in Chatsworth which had illegal immigrants in their factory. After sufficient ground work done, crime intelligence members decided to operationalise the information they had at hand. They sourced assistance from the Immigration officials at Home Affairs as well as Durban Public Order Police.
After a short briefing between the role players, they proceeded to Silverglen where they pounced at a factory for a surprise inspection. A factory which consists of a three story building and employs well in access of three hundred (300) staff members, officials had their work cut out for them. Officials began their inspection and discovered that 35 employees did not possess any work permits and were also in the country illegally. All the 35 illegal were placed under arrest; most of the arrested illegal immigrants in the factory were from Lesotho and Malawi. The officials were not done with their inspection; they turned to the owner of the factory. After initial investigations they discovered that the owner was aware that that the persons he was hiring were in the country illegally. The owner of the factory was subsequently placed under arrest and will face charges of employing illegal immigrants in his factory. All the suspects arrested will appear in the Chatsworth Magistrates’ Court on 2 February 2017.