Liquid Methamphetamine with a street value of R37.6 million was confiscated at OR Tambo International Airport on Monday evening.
A baggage handler pushing a trolley with nine unclaimed bags was asked to stop and have the bags scanned in the Customs area. This led to the discovery of nine green canisters containing 125.4kg of the liquid substance.
A SARS Customs detector dog reaction indicated the possibility of narcotics, which a subsequent drug test confirmed to be methamphetamine in a liquid form. The liquid methamphetamine was handed over to SAPS organised crime unit for further investigation.
This bust was the biggest of several others made, also on Monday.
• Viagra Tablets: 60 000 Viagra tablets, worth R6 Million, were discovered at the OR Tambo Airport Mail Centre. The tablets were imported without the requisite regulatory control and was therefore liable for seizure.
• Cocaine: A search of a backpack of a passenger in transit from Sao Paulo to Lagos resulted in the discovery of two foil-wraps containing a white substance. A Customs detector dog indicated the possibility of narcotics. The substance tested positive for cocaine, which weighed 3.46kg with a total value of R993 020.
Weekend Busts: 21 – 23 August 2015
23 August: During a patrol of the international cargo area, Customs officers inspected boxes being loaded onto a bakkie. The inspection revealed 65 packages (14kg) of crystal meth with a street value of R4.2 million.
23 August: During an inspection of cargo at the SAA cargo shed, 27 cargo pieces from Hong Kong were inspected and found to contain 2 000 pairs of Nike sneakers and 1 700 pairs of Timberland boots which were suspected of being counterfeit. The total value of the goods was R7.2 million.
23 August: Another shipment from Hong Kong was inspected at the SAA cargo shed and 220 Diesel jeans – suspected to be counterfeit – were discovered in three boxes. The jean, valued at over R300 000, were handed over to the Counterfeit Investigation team for further inspection.
22 August: Customs officers performing an inspection at the SAA Cargo shed discovered 6 000 pairs of Nike sneakers and 6 200 pairs of Converse sneakers which had arrived from Hong Kong. The shoes, valued at R7.25m, were detained for further investigation.
21 August: 1kg of heroin was discovered at the mail centre in two parcels destined from South Africa to Spain and Ireland respectively. The total value of the heroin was R201 810. On the same day, a further parcel was seized at the mail centre which contained 2kg of Cannabis.
