Pretoria - South African Revenue Service (SARS) officials at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg have discovered close to 10kg of cocaine hidden in a false compartment of a female passenger’s luggage.
In a statement, the revenue service said the discovery was made on Monday when customs officers stopped a Guyanese passenger who had disembarked in transit from Sao Paolo to Maputo, Mozambique.
The passenger was brought to the search area where her luggage was removed from the transit flight and searched.
“During inspection, cocaine weighing 9.985kg, valued at R2 872 684 was found concealed in 10 handbags in a false compartment of her luggage. The passenger was handed over to the SAPS for further investigation,” said SARS.
During the 2014/2015 financial year, there were eight incidents at OR Tambo where the modus operandi included using handbags to conceal narcotics.
The weight of the seizures are varied, with the lowest being 2.895kg and the highest 16.82kg.
This concealment method allows for smugglers to attempt to bring in large quantities, as opposed to swallowers and those that use body wraps.
“SARS will continue to do everything in its power to ensure that illicit substances, such as narcotics, are prevented from entering or leaving our country,” said SARS. –SAnews.gov.za
