File
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) said customs officers found 47 bricks of compressed cocaine, with an estimated street value of R25 million, at the OR Tambo International Airport on Friday morning.
SARS said the drugs weighed about 50 kg and were packed into a luggage bag that was spotted by customs officers and airport security on a carousel for a flight from Sao Paolo in Brazil.
Commissioner, Edward Kieswetter, said the haul was “heading to Kinshasa” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
He said when officers inspected the luggage bag and saw suspicious-looking objects in the bag.
“These objects tested positive for narcotics.
There were no passengers accompanying the bag and no arrests were made.
“The South African Police Service will now investigate the matter after everything was handed over to them,” he said.
SARS said Sao Paolo in Brazil is a high-risk departure point for drug mules, accompanied as well by unaccompanied luggage containing cocaine with several recent busts of drug mules at ORTIA in recent weeks.
Kieswetter said that there is a multi-disciplinary approach being implemented to bring them to book.
“This multi-disciplinary approach is having palpable results demonstrated by arrests and interceptions recently.
“Through these actions, we are protecting the well-being of our citizens, especially young people who are our future,” the Commissioner said.
