Female Namibian drug mule secretes 60 wraps of cocaine after landing at South African airport

A 30-year-old drug courier from Namibia has been arrested at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, South Africa, after she landed with suspected cocaine in her system.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) reported that the suspected drug courier arrested on Sunday, September 22, 2024, is the tenth drug courier to be arrested at the busy Gauteng airport in the past two months.

National police spokesperson Brigadier General Athlenda Mathe said that SAPS, the South African Revenue Service’s customs and immigration officers, are investigating information from SAPS about a drug courier who was due to land from Sao Paulo, Brazil, at around 7am.

“The team immediately intercepted the drug courier as she passed through immigration. She was immediately arrested and taken to a local hospital, where a medical x-ray confirmed that there were foreign objects in her stomach,” said Mathe.

On Sunday evening, Mathe said the process of removing the suspected drugs from her system was underway.

“She has fired over 60 rounds of suspected cocaine so far. She is currently under police surveillance and custody,” said Mathe.

“The value of the drugs cannot be determined at this stage as the process of removing all suspected drugs from the suspect’s system may take some time,” she said.

Meanwhile, SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has praised the vigilance of the multidisciplinary team working tirelessly to tackle crime at OR Tambo International Airport.

“Our men and women in blue are hard at work intercepting hardened criminals. South Africa is not a playground for criminals and transnational organised crime. We squeeze the space for criminals and leave nothing to chance,” said Masemola.