Police seize R65 million worth of cocaine in Gqeberha port drug bust

The police have made another massive drug bust after a consignment of drugs worth R65 million was seized at a port in Gqeberha.

On Thursday, members of the South African Police Service (Saps) attached to the Gqerberha Sea Port pounced and seized cocaine worth R65 million from a vessel that had entered the country from Brazil.

According to national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the police followed up on intelligence when they intercepted the vessel as it was docking on Thursday and found 35 blocks of cocaine that were compressed into blocks.

“No arrests have been made thus far, and police are investigating a case of trafficking of drugs,” Mathe said.

Third ‘massive’ drug bust in three weeks

The latest drug bust is the thicord in the space of three weeks after two other busts were in KwaZulu-Natal, where the police seized cocaine worth R150 million.

ALSO READ: Durban Harbour ‘shipping news’: Two massive drug seizures net cocaine worth R150m

On October 18, the police in KwaZulu-Natal made a massive drug bust of cocaine worth R70 million at the Durban Harbour.

Two days later, the police made another bust at the Durban Harbour, where cocaine worth a street value of R80 million was seized from a warehouse at the Dube Trade Port within the King Shaka International Airport.

National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola commended the team for the latest bust and police across the country for clamping down on all forms of criminality.

“Intelligence is at work; our members are on the ground throughout the country, clamping down on all forms of criminality. Day in and day out, we continue to confiscate large quantities of these drugs. South Africa is not a playground for criminals,” said Masemola.

More than 200 00 arrested

The police added that through Operation Shanela, they have arrested more than 200 000 suspects for various crimes ranging from murder to rape in the last six months.

Meanwhile, high-density operations on Thursday at a premises at NY78 in the Gugulethu area of the Western Cape resulted in the confiscation of 196 mandrax tablets, 11 plastic packets containing dagga, and 11 half-mandrax tablets. A 33-year-old female was arrested for the possession of drugs

ALSO READ: Police make cocaine bust worth R70 million at Durban Harbour