Pretoria, Friday, 22 February 2019 – Following months of intense surveillance and observing various flights, yesterday the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs officers, stationed at OR Tambo International Airport, successfully profiled a suspected drug smuggler, and intercepted her luggage containing cocaine valued at over R3 million.
The traveller, who arrived from Sao Paulo, initially denied checking in any luggage. However, when the officers enquired further, it was established that she had checked-in luggage weighing 23 kilograms.
The officers then found her checked in bag on the carousel. During a physical inspection of the bag, two backpacks filled with 10.645kg of suspected cocaine were discovered and the woman was immediately detained.
A criminal case for drug smuggling and an attempt to defeat the ends of justice by denying knowledge of the luggage was registered at the local police station.
The passenger was then arrested pending her court appearance on the charges.
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