A seemingly routine maize meal delivery turned into a high-stakes drug bust at Groblersbrug Port of Entry, where two foreign nationals were arrested on July 2, 2025, for attempting to smuggle illicit substances worth a staggering R2.6 million. The duo—a 45-year-old male truck driver and his 30-year-old female passenger—were traveling in a Scania truck registered in Mpumalanga when customs officers uncovered their secret cargo.
What began as a standard inspection quickly escalated when officers discovered several black plastic bags hidden beneath the load. Inside were white plastic lunch boxes filled with a crystal-like substance believed to be crystal meth, compressed dagga, and dozens of bottles of Benylin with codeine—a commonly misused cough syrup classified as a controlled substance in South Africa.
The suspects now face serious charges relating to the smuggling of illicit goods and contraventions of the Medicines and Related Substances Act. Authorities confirmed that both will appear in the Phalala Magistrate’s Court today, July 4, as investigators work to trace the origin and destination of the narcotics.
This arrest is the latest in a series of cross-border operations targeting drug trafficking syndicates exploiting commercial transport routes. Officials have reiterated their commitment to dismantling these networks and strengthening border control to combat the flow of illegal substances into the country.
