In Kenya, four police officers were arrested after raiding a house where 37 Ethiopians were being held, about 10 miles from the capital Nairobi.
The officers are suspected of supporting human smuggling and human trafficking activities.
Ethiopians reportedly told Kenyan authorities that they are leaving for South Africa in search of a better life.
The search for the homeowner and other members of the smuggling ring is underway.
According to the United Nations migration agency IOM, Kenya is a common transit route for Ethiopian migrants attempting to enter South Africa illegally.
The agency said the migrants, mainly men from Ethiopia’s Oromia and SNNP regions, entered Kenya through the Moyale border before heading to Tanzania and eventually South Africa.