Brazilian ‘cocaine carrier’ busted at OR Tambo – drugs wrapped tight to legs

Cocaine

Johannesburg – A 39-year-old Brazilian national was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Friday morning after being found in possession of cocaine wrapped around his legs, police confirmed.

According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the suspect arrived at 9:00am from São Paulo and was en route to Benin when he was intercepted by law enforcement officers during a routine check.

“He was pulled aside and during a body search, cocaine was found wrapped around his legs. He has been arrested and is expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on a charge of drug trafficking,” Mathe said.

The arrest comes as the South African Police Service (SAPS) intensifies efforts to clamp down on the illicit drug trade through enhanced intelligence-driven operations, particularly at key ports of entry such as OR Tambo.

Between January and March 2025, SAPS reported significant successes in the fight against drug-related crimes:

  • 23,306 suspects were arrested for possession of drugs. Among these were more than 20 drug traffickers intercepted at OR Tambo, most of whom had arrived from Brazil and had ingested narcotics in an attempt to evade detection.

  • 3,471 suspects were arrested for dealing in drugs. Notable arrests included six Mozambican nationals and three South Africans in Standerton, Mpumalanga, where police dismantled a clandestine drug laboratory. The bust led to the seizure of drugs, high-performance vehicles, industrial machinery, and R3 million in cash found in the boot of a Mercedes-Benz. The total value of the operation was estimated at R27 million.

  • In a separate operation, another illegal drug lab was shut down in Westonaria, Gauteng, resulting in the arrest of two suspects.

Mathe also highlighted a major drug destruction operation that took place on 7 March 2025 in the Western Cape, during which R340 million worth of narcotics were incinerated.

“The SAPS destroys drugs that are seized from various operations on a regular basis to ensure we permanently remove drugs from circulation and in the past three years, its pleasing to note that R5.2 billion worth of drugs have been destroyed,” Mathe said.

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