A 39-year-old Brazilian national was arrested on Friday morning after being caught with cocaine worth an estimated R1.4 million concealed around his legs at OR Tambo International Airport.
The suspect had arrived from São Paulo at around 09:00 and was en route to Benin when he was intercepted by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
During a routine body search, officers discovered the narcotics tightly wrapped around his legs.He has since been detained and is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on charges of drug trafficking.This arrest forms part of SAPS’s ongoing efforts to combat the illegal drug trade at the country’s ports of entry.
According to the police, the airport has become a hotspot for international drug smuggling, particularly by traffickers from Brazil who often swallow or conceal drugs on their bodies.Between January and March 2025 alone, 23,306 individuals were arrested across South Africa for drug possession.
At least 20 of these arrests took place at OR Tambo, largely involving traffickers arriving from Brazil.In addition to possession charges, 3,471 suspects were arrested for dealing in drugs.
This includes nine suspects — six Mozambicans and three South Africans — who were caught in a large-scale drug operation in Standerton, Mpumalanga.
Police dismantled a clandestine drug laboratory during the raid and confiscated high-performance vehicles, machinery, and R3 million in cash found in the boot of a Mercedes-Benz.
The total value of the seizure was estimated at R27 million.Another drug lab was also shut down in Westonaria, Gauteng, where two more suspects were arrested.
On 7 March 2025, Police led a drug destruction operation in the Western Cape, where narcotics valued at R340 million were incinerated.
Over the past three years, the SAPS has destroyed drugs worth approximately R5.2 billion as part of its commitment to permanently remove illicit substances from communities.
SAPS reaffirmed its pledge to intensify anti-drug operations and applauded the continued collaboration with intelligence units that has led to the successful interception of traffickers.