Police said the process to release the suspected drugs from the woman’s body is currently under way, with more than 60 bullets of suspected cocaine already recovered.
- A 30-year-old Namibian woman was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport for allegedly smuggling drugs.
- Police said they had already recovered over 60 bullets, believed to be cocaine, found in her stomach.
- The woman arrived from São Paulo on Sunday morning.
A 30-year-old alleged Namibian drug mule has been arrested at OR Tambo International Airport, police said on Sunday.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the woman’s arrest resulted from a coordinated effort by SAPS, the SA Revenue Service, customs, and immigration officials.
Acting on intelligence from SAPS, the team was on high alert for a drug mule arriving from São Paulo in Brazil at about 07:25, Mathe said.
“The team immediately intercepted the drug mule as she was making her way through immigration.
“She was immediately arrested, taken to a local hospital where a medical X-ray confirmed and detected foreign objects in her stomach,” Mathe said.
Mathe said the process to release the suspected drugs from her body is currently under way, with more than 60 bullets of suspected cocaine already recovered.
She remains in custody under police guard.
“The value of the drugs cannot be determined at this stage as the process to release all suspected drugs from the suspect’s body may take some time,” she said.
National police commissioner Lieutenant-General Fannie Masemola commended the vigilance and dedication of the multidisciplinary team working tirelessly to combat criminal activities at the airport.
“Our men and women in blue are hard at work intercepting hardened criminals. South Africa is not a playground for criminals and transnational organised crime. We are squeezing the space for criminals and leaving nothing to chance,” Masemola said.
This marked the tenth such arrest at this airport in the past two months, according to police.
Last week, police arrested a man who travelled from São Paulo and was connecting to Nigeria with 450 grams of cocaine inside headphones.
The cleaner who allegedly handed him the headphones was still on the run, police said at the time.
In the past two months, more than R13 million worth of drugs have been seized at OR Tambo International Airport.