Namibian woman arrested at OR Tambo International Airport
A 30-year-old woman was taken to hospital where an X-ray confirmed that she had ingested over 60 'bullets' of suspected cocaine.
An alleged 30-year-old Namibian drug mule was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport yesterday, for attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe says SAPS, SARS customs officials, and immigration officers followed up on intelligence from police regarding a suspected drug mule who was a passenger on a flight from São Paulo. The flight landed in Kempton Park at 07:25.
“This is the 10th drug mule to be arrested at OR Tambo International Airport in the past two months. The team intercepted the woman as she was making her way through immigration.”
Mathe adds that the woman was arrested and taken to a local hospital, where an X-ray detected foreign objects in her stomach. “Shortly after the process to release the suspected drugs from the woman’s body began, she expelled over 60 bullets of what is suspected to be cocaine,” explains Mathe.
Mathe confirms the woman was placed under police guard at the hospital. “The value of the drugs cannot be determined at this stage as the process to release all suspected drugs from the suspect’s body may take some time,” she adds.
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola applauds the vigilance of the multidisciplinary team working tirelessly to clamp down on criminality at the international airport.
“Our men and women in blue are hard at work intercepting hardened criminals. South Africa is not a playground for criminals and transnational organised crime syndicates. We are squeezing the space for criminals and leaving nothing to chance,” adds Masemola.
Read original story on www.citizen.co.za