Johannesburg – A 30-year-old female Namibian drug mule has been arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport and so far she has expelled about 60 pellets.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the arrest on Sunday, (22 September 2024), was the tenth drug bust at OR Tambo in the past two months.
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said police, customs, and immigration officials had been informed of a suspected drug mule arriving on a flight from Sao Paulo at about 07:25.
“The team immediately intercepted the drug mule as she was making her way through immigration,” said Brigadier Mathe.
“She was immediately arrested, taken to a local hospital where a medical x-ray confirmed and detected foreign objects in her stomach.
“The process to release the suspected drugs from her body is underway.
“She has already released more than 60 pellets of suspected cocaine thus far. She is currently under police guard and custody.”
Brigadier Mathe said that releasing all drugs from the suspect’s body may take some time.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has applauded the vigilance of the multidisciplinary law enforcement team at the OR Tambo.
“Our men and women in blue are hard at work intercepting hardened criminals,” said General Masemola.
“South Africa is not a playground for criminals and transnational organised crime.
“We are squeezing the space for criminals and leaving nothing to chance.”
