Subscribe & Follow

Advertise your job vacancies

R18m drug bust at OR Tambo Airport

21 Feb 2018

Customs officials of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) have confiscated two large consignments of crystal meth at OR Tambo International Airport worth over R18 million.

SARS Customs officials seized the drugs on Saturday when they were conducting a baggage scan of a male passenger, who had arrived in South Africa from Nairobi, Kenya.

The officials noticed suspicious objects in the passenger’s three bags and conducted a further search, subsequently discovering 12 plastic bags containing a white powdery substance.

“Drug tests confirmed that the substance was crystal methamphetamine valued at R17,202,000. The drugs and the passenger were handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further investigation,” SARS spokesperson Sandile Memela said.

In a separate incident on Friday, SARS Customs officials found a parcel, which was destined to Malaysia via courier.

The parcel was declared as “gifts” but on closer inspection, officials discovered sachets containing a white crystal substance.

“A drug test confirmed it was crystal meth, valued at just under R1 million. The case was also handed over to the SAPS,” Memela said.