SARS Customs officials seized narcotics with an estimated street value of R21-million on Thursday, March 10.
The busts were made possible with the assistance of upgraded, state-of-the-art scanning equipment, a highly trained detector dog unit, dedicated SARS Customs officers and the collaboration between the Hawks and the SAPS.
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Narcotics busts of cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, heroin, cannabis and ephedrine with a street value of R17,4-million were made at OR Tambo International Airport. This includes 32kg of liquid crystal methamphetamine worth R9,6-million having been intercepted around 1pm on Thursday.
The package was intercepted at the Johannesburg International Mail Centre and was destined for Centurion, from India.
A cigarette bust of R3,6-million also took place at the Grobler’s Bridge border.
Collaboration between the Hawks and SARS Customs officers landed the second biggest of the seven busts, a consignment of 18kg of ephedrine, the principle ingredient in the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of R5,4-million. It had been concealed in the luggage of a South African passenger on an incoming Abu Dhabi flight.
In the second incident, the scanning of a lost bag revealed a package containing a yellow, oily liquid testing positive for crystal methamphetamine, weighing R4,4kg and valued at R1,3-million. The package was en route from Doha to East London.
During random inspections at a courier company, in the third incident, a SARS detector dog reacted positively to two packages en route to Canada and concealing 2,8kg of heroin worth R573 544.
A shipment en route to the United Kingdom was also intercepted when a SARS detector dog reacted positively to a concealed consignment of 13kg of compressed cannabis valued at R18 200.
In the last incident, a random inspection by customs officials at the Johannesburg International Mail Centre resulted in the detection of 1,9kg of cocaine worth R573 098, concealed in shampoo and hair treatment products. The package was en route from Brazil to Swaziland.
