By Betha Madhomu
Cape Town – A 30-year-old Namibian woman was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday for attempting to smuggle drugs into South Africa.
This marks the tenth drug mule apprehended at the airport in the past two months, according to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
The arrest followed a tip-off from the South African Police Service (SAPS) about a drug mule arriving from São Paulo, Brazil, at approximately 07:25.
#sapsHQ A 30-year-old female Namibian drug mule has been arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport.
SAPS, SARS custom, and immigration officials were following up on intelligence from SAPS of a drug mule that would land from Sau Paulo at about 07:25.
The team immediately… pic.twitter.com/Nl7AeN56Mz
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) September 22, 2024
“The team immediately intercepted the drug mule as she was making her way through immigration.
“She was immediately arrested, taken to a local hospital where a medical x-ray confirmed and detected foreign objects in her stomach.
#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
“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,” Mathe said.
The value of the drugs is yet to be determined.
National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, praised the vigilance and efforts of the multidisciplinary team working to curb criminal activities at the airport.
A female Namibian drug mule has been arrested at the OR TAMBO Airport. She landed from Brazil this morning .A hospital x-ray confirmed that she swallowed bullets of drugs. She has been given meds to release these drugs.The process is underway. She is currently under police guard pic.twitter.com/ks00va2xGg
— Athlenda Mathe (@AthlendaM) September 22, 2024
“Our men and women in blue are hard at work intercepting hardened criminals. South Africa is not a playground for criminals and transnational organised crime. We are squeezing the space for criminals and leaving nothing to chance,” Masemola said.
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Picture: X/@SAPoliceService
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
