CAPE TOWN: The South African Revenue Service (SARS) confiscated 271kg of cocaine with a street value of R78 million at OR Tambo International Airport – one of the biggest cocaine busts ever.
“It marks the biggest ever cocaine bust by customs officials in South Africa,” said SARS in a statement. The drugs were on route from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Nairobi, Kenya, and found in a cargo warehouse during routine operations.
“The specific shipment indicated as “cosmetics” on official documentation was identified for closer inspection through customs profiling techniques,” said SARS.
A physical inspection was conducted after narcotic detector dogs reacted positively to the cargo. SARS officials found hair products packed in boxes.
“A drug test on a number of randomly selected containers all gave an immediate positive reaction to cocaine. The 271 kg cocaine is valued at R78 million and was handed over to the police for further investigation,” said SARS.
