Another drug mule arrested at OR Tambo International Airport

A joint operation between SAPS and South African Revenue Service (SARS) customs officials at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) yesterday led to the arrest of a 21-year-old South African woman for drug trafficking.

The woman is the 11^th drug mule to be arrested at ORTIA in the past two months.

According to SAPS’ Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the woman was profiled and intercepted as soon as her flight landed on South African soil from São Paulo, Brazil.

“She was taken to a local hospital where an X-ray confirmed that she had several foreign objects in her stomach,” says Mathe.

By yesterday afternoon, the woman had released several drug bullets from her body while under police guard at the hospital.

National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola commended the vigilance of SARS and SAPS members at the airport.

“Our men and women in blue, working closely with SARS customs officials and various stakeholders, 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,” says Masemola.

Every week this month SAPS and SARS customs, immigration and Border Management Authority officials at ORTIA have been intercepting drug traffickers.

On September 22, a 30-year-old Namibian woman was arrested after arriving from São Paulo.

She too was taken for medical examination and released more than 60 drug bullets.

She has already appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on a charge of dealing in drugs.

On September 13, a Nigerian man was arrested after he was found in possession of cocaine that was concealed in aircraft headphones.

He also travelled to South Africa from São Paulo and appeared before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court.