Boksburg: The South African Police Service (SAPS) has apprehended two suspects in Gauteng for the possession and distribution of drug-facilitated sexual abuse and child sexual abuse material, following a multi-disciplinary operation.
According to South African Government News Agency, the national Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) team received intelligence from the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the British High Commission about a South African individual suspected of involvement in drug-facilitated sexual assault and somnophilia, also known as 'sleep fetish'. The 34-year-old husband allegedly drugged and raped his wife, distributing non-consensual pornographic material of these acts over a social media channel for five years.
The police stated that the victim appeared sedated and unconscious during the commission of these offenses. Through innovative investigative techniques, a multi-disciplinary team located the suspect, leading to his arrest in Boksburg on Thursday, 26 March 2026. The operation included investigators from the national and provincial SECI team in Gauteng, with support from the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Embassy.
Forensic experts at the scene discovered numerous images and videos related to drug-facilitated sexual assault and child sexual abuse material on the suspect's electronic devices. On the same day, the investigation led to another suspect in Germiston, who used a similar method. The suspects are known to each other.
Police seized electronic devices and two unlicensed firearms from the 48-year-old suspect. Both suspects are expected to appear before the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on charges including sexual assault, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession, distribution, and manufacturing of child sexual abuse material, as well as contravention of Section 16 of the Cyber Crimes Act for sharing intimate images without the victim's consent.
Investigations and forensic analysis of the suspects' devices continue.