Overview
- Police at OR Tambo found multiple blocks of cocaine in a 26-year-old Brazilian passenger’s luggage on Sunday, with the haul valued at about R8.7 million after an intelligence tip-off.
- Hours earlier the same day, officers intercepted a Netherlands national with 60kg of khat before a flight to London, with khat being a leaf stimulant banned in South Africa.
- Following Monday’s checks, investigators seized 55kg of khat from a 66-year-old Somali national and recovered about 45kg more in abandoned luggage at the airport.
- In a separate operation on Saturday, a 33-year-old South African woman reportedly headed to Hong Kong was arrested after searches uncovered drugs suspected to be cocaine and crystal meth worth more than R500,000.
- All accused are due in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court this week as SAPS, ACSA, the Border Management Authority and SARS say coordinated, intelligence-led work at ports of entry is aimed at cutting off transnational smuggling routes.