JOHANNESBURG – South Africa Revenue Service (Sars) Customs officials and detector dogs intercepted heroin, illegal skin lightening cream and counterfeit clothes with a combined value of over R20-million in three different incidents at King Shaka International Airport.
In the first incident, a detector dog reacted positive to a parcel of mascaras travelling to Liberia. A physical inspection found 15.63 kg of heroine with a street value of R3.1-million concealed in the lids of the mascara.
This was handed over to SAPS for further investigation. In the second incident a shipment originating from Lagos destined for Durban, and declared as 'Hair Attachments', was intercepted and found to contain 2 469 kg of illegal skin lightening cream with a value of R12.9-million. The shipment was detained.
Finally, Sars officers intercepted a shipment of 7 380 shirts valued at over R6.2-million declared as ‘Consolidation’ emanating from Hong Kong via Dubai and destined for Durban.
Upon physical examination the contents of the shipment were found to be branded football shirts suspected to be counterfeit.
The shipment was detained for further investigation.