Police arrested more than 300 illegal immigrants on Friday in a hijacked building in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.
Police Minister Bheki Cele and police chiefs accompanied the Gauteng police and Johannesburg metro police on a raid on Friday morning.
The foreigners were in a 21-story building.
Three suspects, including two women and a man, were arrested in connection with the hijacking of the building. Police have already located the owner.
In addition to building occupants, police have also seized illegal immigrants at roadblocks.
A total of 380 illegal immigrants (353 men and 27 women) from Malawi and Zimbabwe are currently being processed.
Six Malawian immigrants – four children and two pregnant women – have been released pending their appearance before the immigration authorities and resulting deportation.
In the process, police also located 124 suspects for whom warrants for various crimes had already been issued.
One had a stolen police service weapon with him.
Police seized four firearms on Friday, as well as counterfeit goods worth about R25 million at the Lotto building in Rahima Moosa Street.
Police seized equipment used to imitate well-known sports and other brands.
Subsequently, authorities raided bars, nightclubs and liquor stores and the Gauteng Alcohol Council imposed fines of up to R9 000 and seized liquor of about R1.4 million.
An anonymous tip led police to a warehouse in Midrand, where they seized thousands of boxes containing illegal SIM cards from various mobile service providers.
Police also found machinery used here to manufacture the SIM cards and arrested about 20 illegal immigrants at the scene.
