Woman arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle R4m cocaine into SA

A 36-year-old South African woman was arrested after she was found allegedly trying to smuggle liquid cocaine into South Africa this past weekend.

According to the South African Police Service, the woman had arrived at the King Shaka International Airport on an Emirates airline from Dubai on Saturday.

“Members of the South African Police Service and Customs and Excise, acting on intelligence, searched the woman’s luggage and found liquid cocaine with an estimated street value of R4 million concealed in name brand shampoo bottles,” said the SAPS in a statement.

She was arrested and charged with dealing and possession of drugs. She appeared at the Verulam Magistrates’ Court on Monday and has been remanded in custody until August 6 for a formal bail application.

In another incident, two men were arrested by Australian authorities in what they called the “largest-ever drug interception operation” after seizing 384 kilograms of cocaine two weeks ago.

In a joint operation, Australian Border Force (ABF), ACT Policing, NSW Police Force and Australian Federal Police seized a yellow Cat excavator which had allegedly arrived from South Africa after “anomalies” were identified in an X-ray image at the Sydney Container Examination Facility last month.

They found 384 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $144 million (just over R1.4 billion) welded within the excavator.

Following a controlled delivery of the excavator, two Karabar men, aged 33 and 34, were arrested at a business premises in Bungendore NSW.

Read more: Australian police discover R1.4bn cocaine hidden in excavator allegedly shipped from SA

(Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde)

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