EPHEDRINE worth over R1 million was discovered hidden in lace embroidery at OR Tambo International Airport’s mail centre on Tuesday.
SARS Customs officials conducted random inspections at the mail centre where a parcel, which arrived from India and destined for Johannesburg, was searched, containing several items of lace embroidery. After further investigation, ephedrine was discovered hidden inside the lace packages.
The Ephedrine weighed 3,45kg and is worth R1 035 000 on the street.
The parcel and narcotics were handed over to the South African Police Service for further investigation.
This follows several successful busts by SARS Customs in the past two weeks at several ports of entry.
6 August: Customs officials discovered 4 979 pairs of counterfeit shoes with an estimated street value of R3.9 million at the Lebombo border post. The shoes were discovered when customs officials stopped a truck entering South Africa from Mozambique for inspection.
Documentation handed to officials indicated that the truck was transporting empty crates. Upon inspection of the crates, officials discovered the shoes wrapped in plastic inside the crates.
4 August, Golela: Customs officials discovered 2,12kg of heroin, estimated at R429 451, when the laptop bags of two travellers entering South Africa from Swaziland were inspected.
29 July: About 13,3kg of crystal meth valued at about R4 million was discovered in a bag of a passenger arriving at OR Tambo from Abu Dhabi. The passenger was initially stopped by officials and requested to retrieve her bag from the baggage carousel for inspection.
The passenger attempted to depart from the airport but was apprehended by customs officials. The bag was scanned by officials using one of SARS Customs’ new high-tech baggage scanners. The scanner identified an additional extra density lining within the bag which was inspected, leading to the discovery of the drugs.
28 July: During an inspection at the OR Tambo mail centre customs officials discovered 3kg of ephedrine valued at about R900 000 hidden with leg pads used by cricketers sent from India.
27 July: A woman arriving on a flight from Madagascar at OR Tambo was stopped by customs officers while departing the customs area through the “nothing to declare” channel. An inspection of her bags resulted in officials discovering 6kg of heroin worth R1.8million.
27 July, Golela: Customs officials discovered 2.5kg of heroin valued at about R720 000 while inspecting the laptop bag of a male and female traveller coming into South Africa from Swaziland.
