Pretoria - Four drug mules, attempting to smuggle cocaine worth over R4.2 million, were intercepted at OR Tambo International Airport.
South African Revenue Service (SARS) said on Monday that the four were intercepted in four different incidents at the airport at the weekend.
On Sunday, a Bolivian female passenger in transit to Maputo was found with a bag that a detector dog reacted positively to after X-ray scanners revealed four blocks of a white powdery substance.
“These were confirmed to be cocaine weighing 9kg estimated at R2.589 000,” said SARS.
On Friday, a South African airline female crew member was subjected to a physical search that revealed a body wrap underneath her uniform with cocaine weighing 6.585kg estimated at R1.894 504.
“The third incident was, again, with a suspicious looking South African female who admitted to having narcotics estimated at R575 400. She claimed to have no luggage but this was brought to a search area where two detector dogs reacted positively to body bags hidden inside her handbag.”
In the fourth incident, a Congolese man in transit to Kinshasa was subjected to a body search and referred to hospital for X-ray where a scan revealed objects in his stomach that tested positive for cocaine after he expelled one of them.
“All four persons have been handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further investigation and possible prosecution and are expected to appear in court.”
SARS also said a white powdery substance weighing 6.20kg estimated at R1.8-million in a box from India tested positive for Ephedrine during a random check at a mail distribution outlet.
The narcotics were handed over to SAPS for further investigation. – SAnews.gov.za
