A 30-year-old Namibian woman arrested by Gauteng police at OR Tambo International Airport after a tip off, is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court today(wed).
Police said a X-ray confirmed the suspect had ingested drug bullets before landing in South Africa.
The alleged drug mule arrested on Sunday is the tenth to be arrested at the busy airport in Gauteng over the past two months.
National police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, said all the drugs were removed from the Namibian mule’s body.
“The drug mule has released 68 drug bullets from her body.
“The estimated weight of the drugs is 850 grammes.
“She has been moved to a detention facility and is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on a charge of dealing in drugs and drug possession,” Mathe said.
She said additional charges may be added at a later stage.
Mathe said on Sunday, SAPS and the SA Revenue Service customs and immigration officials were following up on intelligence of a drug mule that would land from Sao Paulo around 7am.
“The team immediately intercepted the drug mule as she was making her way through immigration.
“She was immediately arrested, taken to a local hospital where a medical X-ray confirmed and detected foreign objects in her stomach,” Mathe said.
At the time, she said the process to release the suspected drugs from her body was under way.
Meanwhile, national commissioner of SAPS, Fannie Masemola has applauded the vigilance of the multi-disciplinary team working tirelessly to clampdown on criminality at the OR Tambo International Airport.
Cape Argus