A 21 was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport earlier this month after an X-ray confirmed she had ingested more than 60 drug bullets before landing in South Africa.
Eleven alleged drug mules have been arrested at OR Tambo International Airport (Ortia) over the past two months.
In the latest incident on Sunday, a 21-year-old South African woman was nabbed for alleged drug trafficking in a joint operation between police and SA Revenue Service (Sars) customs at the airport.
“The drug mule was profiled and intercepted as she was arriving on a flight from São Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday morning, just before 9am,” SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said.
The woman was taken to a local hospital where an X-ray confirmed that she had “foreign objects” in her stomach.
“She has already released a number of bullets from her body and is in police custody. Police are closely monitoring the release of further drug bullets. This process is still unfolding,” Mathe said.
Every week over the past month, SAPS and Sars customs, immigration and BMA at Ortia have been intercepting alleged drug traffickers.
On September 22, a Namibian woman, 30, was arrested after arriving from São Paulo. She was also taken for a medical examination and released more than 60 drug bullets.
She has already appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on a charge of dealing in drugs.
On September 13, a Nigerian man was arrested after he was found in possession of cocaine that was concealed in aircraft headphones.
He had also just landed from São Paulo and has appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on a charge of dealing in drugs.
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola commended the vigilance of members of Sars and the SAPS at the airport.
“Our men and women in blue, working closely with Sars customs and various stakeholders, continue to assert the authority of the state at all our ports of entry.
“We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our members and urge them to do more to squeeze the space for criminals. Drug traffickers are feeling the heat and there is nowhere to hide,” said Masemola.
Meanwhile, in Cape Town, members attached to Operation Lockdown III arrested a 35-year-old man following the discovery of drugs worth R5 million on Saturday in Ruyterwacht.
“The members were busy with crime prevention duties in Zoetenal Street when they noticed a man standing next to a white Chevrolet Optra who appeared to be nervous when he saw the police vehicles,” police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said.
“Acting on their instinct, the members searched the man and found drugs on him. They went to search the house where he was standing and found more drugs in the house.
“The members confiscated 87 058 mandrax tablets, a big bag containing unknown white tablets, two large pieces of rock cocaine and five big sachets containing crystal meth,” Twigg said.
The suspect is due in Goodwood Magistrate’s Court once charged.
Cape Times