Security is being heightened at the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court ahead of the appearance of the embattled Gupta family and their business associates.

Five people were arrested in Hawks raids in Gauteng and the Free State on Wednesday.

The raids were carried out in the Saxonwold compound of the Gupta brothers as well as at their businesses in Midrand.

Homes of their co-accused in Bedfordview and in Houghton were also raided as part of the Hawks investigation into the Estina dairy project.

The project was meant to see R220-million invested in upliftment programmes for indigent farmers in the Free State. Instead it is alleged that at least R30-million was siphoned off to the Gupta family for a lavish wedding in Sun City.

Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said that the accused would be appearing in court on charges of corruption‚ money laundering and theft of state funds.

Read more on TimesSelect: EXCLUSIVE: Inside the hunt for Atul Gupta