Pretoria - A currency bust worth R7.9 million was made by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) at King Shaka International Airport, in Durban.
In a statement on Wednesday, the revenue service said the bust was made on Friday by customs officials who intercepted the consignment.
“SARS Customs officers became suspicious when five suitcases scheduled for loading at the departing Emirates flight to Dubai were being removed from the international arrivals hall.
“Upon investigation, it was established the owner of the suitcases was not processed to depart by immigration due to a problem with his passport, thus resulting in him and his suitcases being pulled off the flight. SARS Customs officials directed the luggage for a search,” said the revenue service.
The heavy suitcases made officials suspicious of their contents. In the first suitcase, envelopes packed with South African bank notes were found. The other suitcases were then scanned and the images of four suitcases were consistent with the suitcase found with money. One suitcase was found to contain personal effects.
“The search revealed the four suitcases to be full of envelopes packed with South African bank notes with a total of R7 909 200 in the suitcases,” said SARS of the airport’s second largest currency bust this year.
The passenger was handed over to SAPS for possible criminal prosecution.
Drug bust in Cape Town
Meanwhile, a woman who was found in possession of 3kg of cocaine worth R900 000 at Cape Town International Airport on Tuesday, is to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court, on Friday.
“The incident happened when a Customs official inspected the hand luggage of a woman with chocolate containers in her bag. This was the second cocaine chocolate box bust in Cape Town following the arrest of another woman with drugs worth R1.1 million on Monday,” said SARS.
The chocolate containers were then opened when the woman failed to produce a receipt or proof of purchase. It turned out that they were filled with 147 bullets of a white substance that tests confirmed to be cocaine.
The woman and the narcotics were handed over to the South African Police Service for further investigation. – SAnews.gov.za
