He was found in possession of over three kilograms of drugs wrapped around his body, which was later confirmed to be cocaine with an estimated value of R1.8 million.

The suspect had just landed from São Paulo, Brazil, when he was arrested. The suspect is expected to appear in court soon.

In the past two months, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has arrested at least 14 drug mules at OR Tambo International Airport.

Every week in the last two months, SAPS has arrested at least one drug mule at OR Tambo.

Among those arrested was a 21-year-old South African woman, who became the 11th person arrested for drug trafficking at the airport.

At the time, the police said she was intercepted as she was arriving on a flight from São Paulo.

She was taken to a local hospital where an X-ray confirmed that she had foreign objects in her stomach.

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BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato praised the interception as a testament to the success of South Africa’s integrated border management strategy, which was recently strengthened by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with Interpol. The MOU, signed in Pretoria last Thursday by Masiapato and Brigadier Ntime Mokhine, Executive Director of Interpol’s National Central Bureau in Pretoria, aims to reinforce South Africa’s commitment to enhancing port security and collaborating with international law enforcement agencies.

The suspect, initially intercepted in Turkiye while traveling on a fraudulent Israeli passport, was returned to South Africa on 8 November 2024. Although he claimed to be an Israeli national, BMA officials, noting his German accent, confirmed through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation that he was not Israeli. Further investigation revealed that the man, who had been evading arrest for eight years on drug trafficking charges, was on Interpol’s Red List and had been living in Malawi under a false identity.

The suspect, who had travelled under both German and Israeli passports and is suspected of having stolen the Israeli identity, was arrested by Interpol and is now in custody awaiting extradition to Germany.

Dr Masiapato commended the professionalism and vigilance of the BMA officials involved in the operation, emphasizing that the interception highlights the critical role of the BMA in safeguarding South Africa’s borders and fighting transnational crime. He reiterated that the BMA remains committed to securing the country’s ports of entry against criminal activity, including human trafficking and other illegal practices.

The BMA also urged all travellers to adhere to immigration laws and security protocols to ensure the safe and lawful movement of people across South Africa’s 71 ports of entry.

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“Every week in the last month, SAPS has arrested at least one drug mule at OR Tambo International Airport. This week alone, police arrested three drug mules, including two Dutch traffickers, who were found with 80 kg of Khat. Today’s (Sunday’s) arrest is the 14th drug mule to be arrested in recent weeks,” the police said in a statement released at the weekend.

In Sunday’s arrest, the SAPS in collaboration with officials from the South African Revenue Service (SARS), arrested a 43-year-old drug mule from Paraguay who had landed from São Paulo.

“A medical examination confirmed that he had swallowed multiple foreign objects and has so far released more than 20 bullets suspected to contain cocaine. This brings the total number of drug mules arrested at this airport in the last couple of weeks to fourteen,” said the SAPS.

Last month, a 21-year-old South African woman became the eleventh person arrested for drug trafficking at the OR Tambo International (ORTIA) Airport.

At the time, the police said she was intercepted as she was arriving on a flight from São Paulo, Brazil.

She was taken to a local hospital where an X-ray confirmed that she had foreign objects in her stomach.

In that arrest, the National Commissioner of Police, General Fannie Masemola, commended the vigilance of members of SARS and SAPS at the airport.

On Sunday, 22 September 2024, a 30-year-old Namibian drug mule was arrested after arriving from São Paulo.

On Friday, 13 September 2024, a Nigerian drug mule was arrested after he was found in possession of cocaine that was concealed in aircraft head phones. He had just landed from São Paulo.

On the morning of 07 October, Deputy National Commissioner responsible for policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, confirmed that the drug mule arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday has been rushed to hospital following a health complication. He has so far released about 117 drug bullets suspected to be cocaine.

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