Cape Town – A 21-year-old South African woman was arrested on Sunday morning at OR Tambo International Airport for drug trafficking, following a joint operation between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and South African Revenue Services (SARS) Customs.
The woman, arriving from São Paulo, Brazil, was intercepted just before 09:00 after being profiled as a potential drug mule.
Upon further investigation, she was taken to a local hospital, where an X-ray revealed she had ingested foreign objects suspected to be drug bullets.
“She has already released a number of bullets from her body and is in police custody where police are closely monitoring the release of further drug bullets.
“This process is still unfolding,” police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said.
#sapsHQ [DRUG TRAFFICKING] A joint op between the #SAPS and the South African Revenue Services (SARS) Customs at the OR Tambo International (ORTIA) Airport has led to the arrest of a 21yr-old South African woman for #DrugTrafficking.
This is the 11th drug mule to be arrested at… pic.twitter.com/DbILrvkYsu
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) September 29, 2024
This is the eleventh drug mule arrest at OR Tambo in the last two months, part of a larger effort by SAPS and SARS to curb drug smuggling at South Africa’s busiest airport.
National Commissioner of SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, commended the vigilance of law enforcement, praising the continued efforts to secure the country’s borders.
“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 hardwork 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.
The arrest comes on the heels of several similar incidents at OR Tambo. On 22 September 2024, a 30-year-old Namibian woman was arrested after arriving from São Paulo, having swallowed over 60 drug bullets.
#sapsHQ The process to release the suspected drugs from her body is underway. She has already released more than 60 bullets of suspected cocaine thus far. She is currently under police guard and custody.
This is the tenth drug mule to be arrested at the OR Tambo International… pic.twitter.com/3G2iIkU0kX
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) September 22, 2024
She has since appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on drug dealing charges.
Earlier, on 13 September 2024, a Nigerian man was arrested at the airport with cocaine concealed in aircraft headphones, also arriving from São Paulo.
He has also been charged with drug dealing.
#sapsHQ Nigerian drug mule arrested at OR Tambo Airport – more than R13 Million worth of drugs seized and nine drug mules nabbed at OR Tambo Airport in two months.
A drug mule, who had just landed from São Paulo and was connecting to Nigeria on Friday evening (13 September… pic.twitter.com/WDDDAcgFAU
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) September 14, 2024
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
