The Hawks arrested four people at OR Tambo airport on Friday en route to Russia on suspicion of going to serve in the countrys ongoing war against Ukraine.
Hawks spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale said the arrests followed a tip-off from police stationed at the airport regarding four males who were en route to Russia via the United Arab Emirates.
The individuals were intercepted and removed from the boarding gate after being flagged as suspicious, and subsequently referred to the Hawks crimes against the state CATS section.