By Everson Luhanga
A 21-year-old South African woman was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday for drug trafficking.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the arrest, which was part of a joint operation by police and South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs.
“A joint operation between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) has led to the arrest of a 21-year-old South African woman for drug trafficking,” said Mathe.
This is the eleventh drug mule caught at OR Tambo in two months. The woman was intercepted after arriving on a flight from São Paulo, Brazil, just before 9:00 a.m.
“She was taken to a local hospital, where an X-ray confirmed that she was carrying foreign objects in her stomach. She has already released a number of drug bullets from her body and is in police custody, where officers are closely monitoring the release of further drug bullets,” Mathe added.
SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola praised the teamwork of police and customs officials.
“Our men and women in blue are working closely with SARS Customs and various law enforcement agencies to continue to assert the authority of the state at all our ports of entry. We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our members and urge them to do more to squeeze the space for criminals. Drug traffickers are feeling the heat, and there is nowhere to hide,” said Masemola.
Drug smugglers have been regularly intercepted at OR Tambo recently. On Sunday, 22 September, a 30-year-old Namibian woman was arrested after arriving from São Paulo. She had over 60 drug bullets in her stomach and has since appeared in court.
On Friday, 13 September, a Nigerian man was arrested with cocaine hidden in aircraft headphones after landing from São Paulo. He, too, has appeared in court on a drug dealing charge.
Pictured above: A 21-year-old drug mule who was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday morning.
Source: SAPS
