R7-m cocaine bust at OR Tambo Airport
One of the biggest cocaine busts ever at OR Tambo International Airport was made on Monday, June 7, when SA Revenue Service (SARS) officials confiscated cocaine worth over R7-million.
According to the Kempton Express, the 26.48kg of cocaine was discovered when the airline could not locate the owner of the bag.
The luggage and all its contents were then inspected, SARS said.
During the compulsory inspection, SARS customs officials discovered 19 compressed blocks, wrapped in a brown tape, and seven plastic bags containing a cream colour substance. A drug test was administered on the substance and it tested positive for cocaine.
According to the tag on the bag, the luggage in question was destined for London from South Africa.
“Experience gained from previous incidents suggests that the drugs could have originated from South America. It is suspected that such shipments are brought into SA by one passenger then handed over to another on an onward flight to Europe or Africa.”
The cocaine confiscation follows the discovery of 40 000 Viagra tablets earlier in the day by customs officials conducting an inspection at the Johannesburg International Mail Centre.
The tablets contained in two boxes were sent from Hong Kong.
According to the declaration on the outside of the two boxes, the goods were falsely declared as plastic toys.
Also read:
• Another major drug bust at airport: tik found in créche table
• Drug syndicates punched on the nose at airport
• Huge dagga bust on Kempton’s doorstep
