Ntuthuzelo Nene31 July 2024 | 7:30

Police make another major drug bust at OR Tambo airport

A Brazilian national - travelling from Sao Paulo to Johannesburg - was arrested with cocaine worth R1 million wrapped in plastic in his luggage.

Police make another major drug bust at OR Tambo airport

A suspected drug mule was arrested by the South African Police Service (SAPS) at the OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday, 30 July 2024. Picture: X/@SAPoliceService

CAPE TOWN - Police have made another major drug bust at OR Tambo International Airport.

Police were responding to a tip-off when they nabbed a suspected drug mule travelling from Sao Paulo to Johannesburg.

The Brazilian national was arrested with cocaine worth R1 million wrapped in plastic in his luggage.

In the past two weeks, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has intercepted large quantities of drugs in separate transnational busts and arrested a few foreign nationals.

A Russian man is among the suspects arrested when police seized cocaine worth R252 million in the Western Cape this week.

Two Mexicans were also nabbed when police swopped on a drug lab worth R2 billion in Limpopo earlier in July.

"The National Commissioner of SAPS, General Fannie Masemola has welcomed the arrest and warned those involved in transnational organised crime that SA is no playground for these syndicates who are involved in the trafficking of drugs. Our members throughout the country remain vigilant and ready to intercept these drug traffickers," said national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe.