Following a multi-disciplinary operation at Cape Town International Airport on Sunday, a 33-year-old Brazilian woman was arrested for trying to smuggle drugs into the city.
The operation was led by the Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau in collaboration with Border Police, Customs, Home Affairs, and the Plattekloof Forensic Science Laboratory. They were tipped off on information regarding the suspect arriving from Brazil.
According to Hawks’ Lieutenant Colonel, Siyabulela Vukubi, the woman was found to have cocaine concealed in a sports bag.
Further investigation revealed that the suspect had also ingested drug pellets.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Eric Ntabazalila confirmed as of 19 March, 104 bullets of cocaine had already been expelled from her system.
The suspect is still in hospital, as she continues to expel the drugs from her body.
She was due to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, but due to her medical condition, the matter was postponed to 24 March 2025.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Makgato, praised the relevant teams for their work on this case.
A similar incident occurred at the OR Tambo International Airport last month, when police apprehended two people with cocaine worth R7,5 million. The man and woman, also travelling from Brazil, tried to smuggle the drugs in their luggage.
READ MORE: Two alleged drug mules nabbed with cocaine worth R7.5 million
2024 airport drug busts
Last year, two women were apprehended at the OR Tambo International Airport for trying to smuggle drugs into the country.
In October 2024, a 21-year-old woman was arrested, and she released over 100 bullets of drugs from her body. She had arrived at the airport from Brazil.
The following, a 44-year-old woman also coming from Brazil was apprehended at the same airport. She had parcels of cocaine wrapped around her body.
Meanwhile, in June last year, at the Cape Town airport, a British man was arrested for trying to smuggle tik out of the country.
