South Africa
Police arrest three alleged drug mules─── 07:41 Sun, 09 Feb 2020
Three people on Saturday were arrested at OR Tambo International Airport for being in possession of more than 30 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated street value of R30 million.
The alleged drug mules, two men and a woman, were apprehended by police in a joint operation with the South African Revenue Service, Airports Company South Africa, and airport security.
In the first incident, police acting on intelligence intercepted a man and a woman as they arrived from South America.
“The woman was carrying over 21 kilograms of a substance suspected to be cocaine in her check-in luggage and the man, over 4 kilograms, also of a substance suspected to be cocaine which he had strapped around his waist and chest,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo in a statement.
In the second incident, the Hawks acted on information and intercepted a 49-year-old Brakpan man at the airport just as he was to depart to Hong Kong on a flight.
“The man was found with a little over 5 kilograms of cocaine which was also strapped around his waist and chest,” Naidoo said.
Police said the three suspects would be charged with dealing in drugs. They were expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on Monday.
