R65 million drug bust in South Africa

The South African Revenue Services (SARS) has reported that it successfully seized 30 bricks of suspected narcotics with an estimated street value of R65 million from a vessel in the Durban Harbor on 12 October.

This followed a collaborative operation involving the SARS Durban Customs office, which handed over the drugs to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) for further investigation, prosecution, and destruction.

The Durban Customs Enforcement Team launched its Customs Marine Patrol Unit Vessel to intercept the motor vessel suspected of carrying narcotic substances at 2:45 a.m. on Sunday morning.

The vessel was about four nautical miles off the East Coast of Durban at this point and was intercepted as it entered the port.

“The Enforcement Team boarded the vessel, interviewed the master of the vessel, and examined documentation to identify the location of a profiled container,” SARS reported.

“The vessel was rummaged by the Enforcement Team, and the container was located on the Vessel, where the refrigeration unit was examined. This resulted in one positive detection of bricks of suspected narcotics.”

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter praised the SARS Customs team and the other law enforcement agencies involved in the operation.

“Customs demonstrated its gallantry by working so hard and focused at the dead of night to intercept this vessel,” he said.

“This speaks to an unwavering commitment by SARS to protect our borders and keep at bay all criminals that are bent on shipping harmful substances that cause unmitigated suffering for our inhabitants.”

Customs officials completed a similar operation in the Durban Harbour at the beginning of September, resulting in the seizure of R56 million worth of cocaine.

According to SARS, officials discovered 25 large bricks of what was suspected to be cocaine, “of a very high quality suitable for further dilution and expansion into larger volumes for illicit distribution.”