Biggest ever drug bust in SA
THE South African Revenue Service (Sars) seized narcotics on Thursday with an estimated street value of R21-million.
Busts of cocaine, crystal meth, heroin, cannabis and ephedrine with a street value of R17.4-million were made at OR Tambo International Airport.
About 32kg of liquid crystal meth worth R9.6-million were intercepted at the Johannesburg International Mail Centre.
They were destined for Centurion, Joburg, from India.
Collaboration between the Hawks and Sars customs official landed the second-biggest of the seven busts, a consignment of 18kg of ephedrine worth an estimated street value of R5.4-million, concealed in the luggage of a South African passenger on an incoming Abu Dhabi flight.
Ephedrine is the main ingredient in the manufacture of crystal meth.
In the second incident, the scanning of a lost bag revealed a package containing a yellow oily liquid that tested positive for crystal meth, weighing 4.4kg and with a value of R1.3-million. The package was en route from Doha to East London.
Meanwhile, during random inspections at a courier company in the third incident, a Sars detector dog reacted positively to two packages en route to Canada, concealing 2.8kg of heroin worth R573 544.
A shipment en route to the UK was also intercepted when a Sars detector dog reacted positively to a concealed consignment of 13kg of compressed cannabis valued at R18 200.
In the last incident, a random inspection by customs officials at the Johannesburg International Mail Centre resulted in the detection of 1.9kg of cocaine worth R573 098, concealed in shampoo and hair treatment products.
The package was en route from Brazil to Swaziland.
Meanwhile, an illegal cigarette bust worth R3.6-million was made at Groblersbridge border in Limpopo.
A joint operation between Sars customs, Sars tactical investigations and the South African Police Service (SAPS) led to the discovery of illegal cigarettes worth R3.6-million this week.
The stash was found in several false compartments on a truck entering South Africa from Zambia,” said Sars.
All consignments and suspects have been handed over to the SAPS for further investigation.