A 55-year-old Nigerian national has been arrested at OR Tambo International Airport after authorities discovered he was attempting to smuggle cocaine worth an estimated R7.5 million. The suspect, who had just landed from São Paulo, Brazil, was intercepted by the South African Police Service (SAPS) on Tuesday.
According to SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Van Wyk, the suspect was found to have swallowed numerous cocaine-filled “bullets.” A medical x-ray revealed these objects inside his stomach, leading to his arrest. The suspect is still in the process of expelling the drugs, Van Wyk confirmed.
This arrest comes shortly after two South African drug traffickers were detained at the same airport for smuggling a similar amount of cocaine. The two individuals, arriving separately from São Paulo, were found with R7.5 million worth of cocaine — R2.5 million in the possession of a female trafficker and R5 million in a male suspect’s luggage.
Van Wyk also referenced another major bust from December, in which two Brazilian traffickers were arrested with over 4kg of cocaine. One of the individuals was found with the drugs in their luggage, while the other had swallowed a number of cocaine-filled bullets, further highlighting the ongoing issue of drug smuggling at South Africa’s busiest airport.
The 55-year-old Nigerian suspect is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrates’ Court soon as the investigation continues.
