Johannesburg - Officials managed to intercept two shipments of drugs from entering the country this weekend.
This included liquid cocaine with an estimated street value of R2 million which was found in hair treatment bottles at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday.
South African Revenue Service (SARS) spokesman Luther Lebone said on Monday morning that the illicit substance came from Brazil.
He explained that officials became aware of the drugs, which were stashed in six anti-freeze hair treatment bottles, when police sniffer dogs reacted.
The parcel was detected while it was at a courier company inside the airport and was going through a mandatory customs check.
“Tests conducted on the bottles confirmed that it was liquid cocaine,” said Lebone.
The bottles were allegedly sent from Sao Paulo and were meant to be delivered to Cape Town, via Joburg.
Lebone said the matter is currently under police investigation and that the sender as well of the recipient of the parcel have yet to be identified.
Meanwhile, another drug shipment worth around R7.9 million was also stopped from entering the country.
Lebone said that on Friday, a man driving a bakkie attempted to pass through the Lebombo border post in Mpumalanga when he was stopped in his tracks.
During a routine check of his vehicle, police sniffer dogs also began reacting which led to officials discovering the shipment of heroin inside the bakkie he was driving.
“The drugs were found hidden inside the door panels and behind the driver’s seat,” said Lebone.
The shipment was apparently from Mozambique and meant for distribution in South Africa.
Lebone said that the man has since been arrested and that police would investigate the matter.
The Star