South African Revenue Service (Sars) customs officials have, over the past four days, intercepted illicit narcotics shipments worth millions of rands at two ports of entry.
On Saturday, Sars officials intercepted 7.5kg of cocaine in hidden hair treatment bottles estimated at R2.1 million. The discovery was made at a courier company outlet at OR Tambo International Airport.
“A detector dog identified a consignment from Sao Paolo via Johannesburg to Cape Town that contained six bottles of ‘anti-frizz hair treatment’ that tests confirmed to be liquid cocaine with the value of R2 157 750,” said Sars spokesperson Sandile Memela.
The narcotics were seized and handed over to the SA Police Service for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the revenue service confiscated heroin with a value of R7.9 million at the Lebombo border post in Mpumalanga on Thursday last week.
The drugs, wrapped in twenty five yellow parcels, were found hidden in the door panels and behind the driver seat of a Corsa bakkie entering South Africa from Mozambique. The parcels weighed 26.6 kg in total.
A customs and excise detector dog handler was performing a random search at the import inspection gate of the border, when a Corsa bakkie was stopped for inspection.
The driver of the vehicle made no declaration and consented to customs proceeding with the inspection. Several positive indications by the detector dog prompted a further search which led to the discovery of the drugs.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of contravening the Customs and Excise Act and Drug Trafficking Act.
The consignment of heroin and the vehicle have been released to the South African Police Service for further investigation.
