Nine men and one woman have been arrested by Johannesburg, South Africa police following a three-year investigation into illegal diamond trading.

Undercover investigators gathered information on the suspects, some of whom are "well known" in the diamond industry, according to Captain Cherelle Ehlers of the Johannesburg Police Force.

Police took the diamond dealers, diamonds, cash and evidence of illegal transactions into custody in the cities of Kimberly, Cape Town and Port Nolloth.  They will face charges of illegal dealing of diamonds and possession of illegal diamonds.

Officers have been undercover gathering information since May, 2004.  Ehlers reports that more arrests are "likely."