KwaZulu-Natal cops sniff out cocaine, valued at R151 million, packed in meat boxes in Durban harbour

KwaZulu-Natal police have seized over R150 million worth of cocaine during another bust in the Durban harbour. Picture: SAPS

KwaZulu-Natal police have seized over R150 million worth of cocaine during another bust in the Durban harbour. Picture: SAPS

Published Dec 5, 2023

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KwaZulu-Natal police have seized over R150 million worth of cocaine during another bust in the Durban harbour.

National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said officers intercepted the container, en route from Brazil, on Monday night.

"A multidisciplinary team inspected the container at a cold storage facility and found 433 blocks of cocaine disguised in meat boxes, valued at R151m. No arrests have been made and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI or Hawks) has taken over the investigation," Mathe said.

This is the third major drug bust in KZN in the last two months.

KwaZulu-Natal police have seized over R150 million worth of cocaine during another bust in the Durban harbour. Picture: SAPS

One of the packages, purportedly containing “chicken” that was found to be cocaine. Picture: SAPS

In October, cocaine valued at R80m was confiscated from a warehouse at the Dube Trade Port, within the King Shaka International Airport.

Mathe said officers had been tracking various containers which arrived into the country via the Durban Harbour from Brazil.

She explained that members tracked a certain container to the Dube Trade Port in which 228 blocks of cocaine were seized.

In the same month, the Hawks recovered R70m worth of drugs at the harbour from a vessel, also en route from Brazil.

At the time, Mathe said multidisciplinary operation was conducted and 20 litre paint containers were seized. The drugs were found inside the paint containers.

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