Police arrested a 39-year-old Brazilian man at OR Tambo International Airport on Friday morning after he arrived from São Paulo.
The suspect landed at 09:00 and was en route to Benin when police intercepted him.
During a body search, officers found cocaine wrapped around his legs.
Police immediately arrested the suspect and will bring him before the Kempton Park Magistrates’ Court on a drug trafficking charge.
SAPS Clampdown on Drug Trafficking
The arrest forms part of broader efforts by the South African Police Service (SAPS) to intensify the fight against the drug trade.
Between January and March 2025, police intercepted more than 20 traffickers at OR Tambo International Airport and arrested 23 306 suspects for drug possession.
Many of these traffickers had ingested drugs before arriving from Brazil.
In the same period, police arrested 3 471 individuals for drug dealing. They apprehended six Mozambican nationals and three South Africans in Standerton, Mpumalanga, after dismantling a clandestine drug laboratory during a major operation.
The operation led to the confiscation of assets valued at R27 million, including high-performance vehicles, industrial machinery, and R3 million in cash found in the boot of a Mercedes-Benz.
Police shut down another clandestine drug laboratory in Westonaria, Gauteng, and arrested two additional suspects.
R340 Million in Drugs Destroyed
On 7 March 2025, SAPS led a drug destruction operation in the Western Cape.
Officers destroyed narcotics worth R340 million. SAPS has destroyed R5.2 billion worth of drugs in the past three years.
Do you believe authorities are doing enough to stop drug trafficking at South Africa’s airports?
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