Cocaine worth millions found in ‘animal food’ container in KZN

Suspicions about a container said to have been smuggling drugs into South Africa led to a multimillion rand drug bust in KwaZulu-Natal this week. 

Police said an intelligence driven operation on Tuesday at a container depot in Isipingo led the Hawks and Durban Harbour security to a container purportedly containing animal food. 

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After a search was conducted, 26 canvas bags with Tik Tok and Jaguar branding were found filled with bricks of cocaine. 

Picture: SAPS

The drugs weighed 541kg and have an estimated street value of more than R243 million. 

Picture: SAPS

It is not yet clear where the drugs came from originally, but investigations to apprehend the perpetrators and to “prevent contraband drugs into our country” are continuing. 

Hawks head Lt-Gen Godfrey Lebeya said the country was “closing in on the drug cartels” and the bust showed the extent of organised, cross-border crime.

Lebeya called on communities not to take drugs, or in his words, “demand the supply”, in order to help them close the market for good.

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