Bloemfontein: A Danish national appeared in a South African court Monday on sexual assault charges after 21 pieces of were found stuffed in his freezer, police said.

The 58-year-old gunshop owner was arrested last week in the central city of Bloemfontein.

Anaesthetic drugs and surgical equipment were also found in his house.

He "allegedly sedated his victims before performing illegal operations on them," police said in a statement.

Police suspect most of his victims were from the neighbouring tiny kingdom of Lesotho.

Some media reports suggest he had in the past admitted to a journalist that he performed female genital mutilation.

AFP is withholding his name because South African laws state that sexual offenders cannot be named until they have entered their pleas in court.

Police said it has emerged that the man is wanted in Denmark for illegally dealing in firearms, said police.

He is due back in court on September 28 when he is expected to apply for bail.