Coke bust at city airport

Cape Town International Airport customs found 1.3kg of cocaine concealed in the handles of a passenger's luggage yesterday.

Mlungisi Mthembu and Sapa

AS A suspected SA drug mule appeared in a Bangkok court yesterday, another suspect was arrested as she landed at Cape Town International Airport allegedly with 1.3kg of cocaine worth R390 000.

Police spokesman André Traut said the drugs had been concealed in the handles of the luggage of the passenger, a Nambian living in Parklands. When she arrived on a flight from South America she appeared suspicious, and her luggage was searched, said Traut.

She is to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Nolubabalo “Babsie” Nobanda from Grahamstown, arrested at Bangkok International Airport in December 2011 allegedly for attempting to smuggle cocaine hidden in her dreadlocks, appeared in a court there yesterday charged with drug trafficking.

The matter was postponed to June 18 for judgment.

Her mother, Honjiswa Mbewu, said the two security officers who arrested her testified that Nobanda co-operated and freely confessed to trafficking in drugs. She said the court heard evidence that the cocaine Nobanda was carrying was mixed with baking powder.

In a letter to her family, which they received this week, Nobanda said she was in good spirits and upbeat about the judgment.

She said she would be convicted of attempting to smuggle 600g of cocaine, and not 1.5kg as reported earlier. The family was expected to send a legal adviser and a family member to attend the judgment.

“I can confirm to you that a family member will travel to attend court and we are very optimistic at this stage,” she said.