Hawks and INTERPOL Intercept 38-Year-Old Suspect Heading to Foreign War Zone
A 38-year-old foreign national is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court today, 12 November 2026, following his arrest in connection with alleged plans to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the suspect was apprehended on Wednesday night, during an intelligence-driven operation.
The arrest was carried out by an integrated multidisciplinary investigation team comprising INTERPOL Pretoria NCB, the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State and Serious Organised Crime Investigation units based in Germiston, international law enforcement agencies, SAPS Crime Intelligence, the Modus Operandi Centre, the Gauteng Provincial Tracking Team, and private security companies.
Authorities stated that the team operationalised an intervention based on gathered intelligence, leading to the suspect’s interception before he could travel to the conflict zone.
The accused is set to face charges under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act 15 of 1998, which prohibits individuals from offering or rendering mercenary and foreign military assistance without government authorisation.
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