Pretoria – An assortment of drugs worth about R7 million was confiscated by the SA Revenue Service (SARS) at OR Tambo International Airport this past week.
SARS spokesperson Luther Lebelo said officials uncovered 20.76 kilograms of crystal meth with a street value of about R6.3 million at the airport on Thursday.
“The shipment, profiled by SARS, arrived on flight SA061 from Lagos and was said to contain hair pieces and food items.
“Following a thorough inspection by the cargo team, it was established that five parcels of crystal meth were placed at the bottom of the shipment,” Lebelo said.
SARS customs also found one kilogram of heroin, with a street value of about R201 087, concealed in a false compartment of a box of a shipment destined for Madagascar from South Africa on Wednesday.
“Once again on Wednesday, Detector Dog Unit officers conducted routine inspections when a shipment from Maputo to South Africa was intercepted … A massive 14.4 kilograms of Khat leaves valued at R9 604 were found in the box,” Lebelo said.
Lebelo said a Sierra Leone citizen was intercepted after arriving from Sao Paulo on Tuesday. The passenger, who was in transit to Abidjan, was questioned by a customs official. X-rays later revealed that he had swallowed cocaine in ‘bullet form’, about 100 bullets valued at R287 700.
“On 1 May, Detector Dog Unit officers intercepted one of the largest consignments of cannabis weighing a massive 134 kilograms valued at R187 600.
“The cargo was declared as bottles of wine. However, a narcotics dog helped discover 134 blocks of cannabis in a false compartment of the crates,” Lebelo said. – SAnews.gov.za
