Police say 95 Libyan nationals suspected of training in an ‘illegal’ military camp in South Africa have been arrested.
Officers raided the farm in White River, a small town in northern Mpumalanga province, on Friday and found military tents, licensed firearms and other military equipment. Cannabis and cocaine were also found in the camp, according to the police.
The police carried out the raid after receiving an intelligence tip on Wednesday.
National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the Libyans allegedly “misrepresented themselves” in their visa applications by saying they would be training to be security guards.
The camp was originally registered as a training camp for a private security company but appears to have been changed, AFP news agency quoted another police spokesperson, Donald Mdhluli, as saying.
Mdhluli said the owner of the security company is a South African and that police were investigating whether he has permission to operate the place as a military camp.
Apart from immigration offences, the Libyans are also suspected of other “serious crimes”, as there have been several rape complaints from the local community, Mdhluli said.
“We take any threat to the security and stability of our province and country very seriously,” police commissioner Zeph Mkhwanazi was quoted as saying in a police statement.
However, the same statement gave assurance to the public that there was “no immediate threat to community safety.”
South Africa’s high crime rate has created a huge private security industry.
According to a report by the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA), the number of security firms has grown by more than 40 percent in the last decade.
It is common for foreigners to find work in these companies.
It is common to find foreign nationals looking up to these companies for jobs.
The 95 Libyans were arrested and are being interrogated by competent authorities.
The police were silent about who the detainees might have been receiving military training from.
Source: BBC News
