Five women have been rescued from a human trafficking ring that forced them into prostitution in Jerusalem, Israel.
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The investigation uncovered that the traffickers operated out of Tel Aviv, illegally bringing women from South Africa to Israel to work as prostitutes. According to a report by Israel’s national broadcaster KAN, the rescue operation took place in June during a raid on a suspected brothel where South African women were discovered.
KAN aired a video showing police seizing cell phones and cash during the raid. The women told investigators they were thrown naked into the street after one of the traffickers was dissatisfied with their performance. Their testimonies revealed that they were brought to Israel from South Africa through Jordan under false pretences.
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Three of the women were rescued in Jerusalem, and the other two were found in Tel Aviv. In Tel Aviv, police discovered the victims with three South Africans—two men and a woman, all in their 40s—who were arrested and remain in custody.
A few days after the initial raid, another South African suspect was arrested in south Tel Aviv. In July, a fifth suspect, holding Nigerian and South African citizenship, was arrested at Ben Gurion Airport while attempting to flee Israel.
KAN reported that the suspects allegedly lured the women to Israel under the guise of pilgrimage through Jordan and Ben Gurion Airport. The rescued women have been placed in a shelter for trafficked victims.
Clayson Monyela, spokesperson for South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, stated that the department had not been notified of the incident but is following up on the report.
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