Dutch drug traffickers busted with fresh khat at OR Tambo airport

Police have arrested two Dutch drug traffickers in separate incidents at the OR Tambo International Airport.

The drug traffickers were handcuffed at the airport this week.

Two arrested

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk officers seized 80kg of fresh Khat (catha edulis) found in the duo’s possession.

“According to a preliminary report, both the 21-year-old and 59-year-old suspects were en route from South Africa to the Netherlands via Dubai when they were intercepted by police. They attempted to check in and board their flights on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

“The suspects were consequently arrested and expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrate Court,” Van Wyk said.

This brings the total number of drug traffickers arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport in the last couple of weeks to 13.

Police have arrested two Dutch drug traffickers in separate incidents at the #ORTamboInternationalAirport

Both the 21-year-old and a 59-year-old suspect were on route from South Africa to the #Netherlands via Dubai when they were intercepted by police @TheCitizen_News pic.twitter.com/i9fxi2qQqt

— 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚕 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕 ⚡️ (@FaizelPatel143) October 4, 2024

ALSO READ: SA drug mule has released 110 drug bullets so far – the highest in 8 years

Drug in the stomach

Last week, a 21-year-old South African drug mule was also arrested at OR Tambo International Airport for trafficking drugs that were found in her stomach.

The woman was handcuffed by the South Africa Police Services (Saps) and the South African Revenue Services (Sars) Customs at the Johannesburg airport on Sunday.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the drug mule was profiled and intercepted as she was arriving on a flight from São Paulo, Brazil on Sunday morning, just before 9am.

“She was taken to a local hospital where an X-ray confirmed that she was having foreign objects in her stomach.”

Drug trafficking at OR Tambo

The woman expelled 110 drug bullets since her arrest on Sunday.

According to Mathe, statistics from Saps at OR Tambo International Airport revealed that this is the highest number of drug bullets discovered in eight years.

Over the last month, Saps, along with Sars Customs, Immigration and the Border Management Authority (BMA) at the airport, have been intercepting drug traffickers on a weekly basis.

On Sunday, 22 September 2024, a 30-year-old Namibian drug mule was arrested after arriving from São Paulo. She was also taken for a medical examination and expelled over 60 drug bullets.

She has already appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate Court on charges of drug dealing.

ALSO READ: Woman arrested at OR Tambo Airport for trafficking drugs in stomach