PICS: Not in our streets! – R15m worth of cocaine seized at Richards Bay port

Police have confiscated R15-million worth of cocaine at a port in KwaZulu-Natal.

Several international and local authorities, including the Hawks, SA Revenue Service and the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seized the drugs on Monday.

The ship was travelling from Columbia to Richards Bay and was also carrying iron.

“An enquiry was registered and a disruptive operation was planned. A search was conducted upon arrival of the vessel and during the search blocks of cocaine to the street value of R15 million were found,” KZN Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said.

No arrests made

Mhlongo said while preliminary investigations were conducted and evidence collected, no arrests have yet been made.

KZN Hawks head, Major General (Dr) Lesetja Senona said he was grateful the drugs had been seized before they entered SA streets.

“The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) would like to thank all role players who participated in this operation, especially the external stakeholders who ensured that these drugs did not land in the streets of this country. We will continue to work together with other internal stakeholders to track and trace the perpetrators involved in this drug trafficking.”

ALSO READ: Drugs disguised as artwork worth millions seized by Sars

R550m worth of drugs destroyed by police

Earlier this year, Gauteng police destroyed over half a billion rands worth of drugs. The batch included those recovered in three major busts at Durban Harbour.

“In this financial year alone, more than one billion rand worth of drugs have been destroyed,” she said.

In the 2022/2023 financial year, six tonnes of drugs were seized and destroyed, with a value of R2 billion. From October to date, police have intercepted four massive drug consignments. Three were in Durban, while one was in Gqeberha,” police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told The Citizen. 

Additional reporting by Nicholas Zaal

NOW READ: Police destroy drugs worth R90 million in Cape Town