4 September 2025 – On 3 September 2025, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) led a collaborative intelligence-driven operation that resulted in the detention and seizure of narcotics with an estimated street value of R56 million.
A Customs Marine Patrol vessel intercepted a cargo ship near the Fairway Bouy at outer anchorage approximately 4 nautical miles of the East coast of Durban and escorted it to its berth in the harbour. Customs enforcement officers boarded the vessel and located a number of containers identified prior to the arrival of the vessel as posing a potential risk for smuggling.
The inspection resulted in the discovery of 25 large bricks of suspected cocaine hidden in the refrigeration units of several containers. A field drug test was conducted and positively identified the goods as cocaine of a very high quality suitable for further dilution and expansion into larger volumes for illicit distribution. Customs seized the goods and handed it over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further safe keeping, investigation and prosecution.
Mr. Edward Kieswetter, SARS Commissioner, commended the officers for their efforts to not only disrupt the criminal infiltration of narcotics into the country, but also to protect society from its harmful effects. He said that “this success points to the success of collaboration with our counterparts from Brazil. It is such collaboration that communicates concrete cooperation within BRICS countries that deal a heavy blow against organised crime syndicates. This achievement also signals that the efforts by all law enforcement agencies in our county is taking on the challenge of protecting our borders”.
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