Police arrested a Nigerian national at OR Tambo International Airport on Friday night after they found cocaine stashed in a headphones.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the man had landed from São Paulo in Brazil and was taking a connecting flight to Nigeria when he was nabbed.
“It is alleged he met with a cleaner at the airport and handed airline headphones to him.
“Suspecting that there was something amiss, the team opened the aircraft headphones and found cocaine stashed in the headphones.”
She said the alleged drug mule told police he is a street vendor in Nigeria.
“He claims he was in Brazil to buy clothes and shoes which he sells in his home country.”
Mathe said police are investigating this aspect to see if this excuse is a decoy to actually traffic drugs.
She said the cleaner who noticed that police were “hot on his heels” evaded arrested.
“Police have since launched a manhunt for him.”
Following the arrest, General Fannie Masemola, SAPS National Commissioner warned criminals that South Africa was not their playground.
“These arrests and drug confiscations should serve as a deterrent to other drug traffickers, that they will be caught.”
Police said in the past two months, more than R13 million worth of drugs including R12 million worth of cocaine has been seized at OR Tambo Airport.
“A total of nine suspected drug mules have also been arrested during this period. All suspects were arrested in the possession of these drugs.”
IOL News