Drugs worth over R10m seized in Feb

Cocaine concealed in handbags was found in the luggage of a passenger on a SAA flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil to OR Tambo International. Picture: African News Agency

Cocaine concealed in handbags was found in the luggage of a passenger on a SAA flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil to OR Tambo International. Picture: African News Agency

Published Mar 6, 2015

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Pretoria - Customs and enforcement officers prevented drugs worth over R10 million from coming into the country during operations at the country’s ports of entry in February, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) said on Friday.

The seized drugs included 30 litres of liquid ecstasy worth R9 million, over a thousand ecstasy tablets worth R54 000, 5kg of crystal methamphetamine valued at over R1.5 million, and over 170 kilograms of Khat valued at over R115 000.

“... The Sars Customs team at OR Tambo International identified a male passenger for further checks while he was disembarking from a flight originating in Cotonou, Benin. He had checked in three pieces of luggage – bags each holding a large plastic ‘jerry can’. These cans were found to contain small packets of liquid ecstasy totalling 30 litres – with a value of R9 million,” said Sars deputy spokesperson Marika Muller.

The crystal methamphetamine was seized after Sars detector dog, Archie, reacted to a parcel from Mumbai which had also arrived at OR Tambo.

Other items seized in February included close to 39 000 cartons of cigarettes valued at over R6.7 million, 36 kilograms of dagga, 2059 generic male sexual enhancement tablets and 100 grams of LSD found at the Cape Town Mail Centre in a parcel arriving from the UK.

SARS detector dog, Willis, trained specifically to identify specific components used in the manufacture of mobile phones, alerted his handlers to two parcels bound for Tanzania and China. Seventeen cellphones were found in the parcels.

Weapons and explosives components were also seized. These included 60 detonator cables and 30 tubes of explosive gel.

Sars also detained a driver entering South Africa from Mozambique after he was found in possession of a SA Police Service registered pistol and magazine.

Enforcement officers also prevented a number of items from leaving the country, including two shipments of dried abalone, one of 525kg (valued at R1.84 million) and one of 360kg (valued at R1.26 million), found at a courier warehouse at OR Tambo, bound for Hong Kong.

ANA

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