Police destroy drugs worth at least R340 million

CAPE TOWN - The South African Police Service (SAPS) has destroyed more than 800 kilograms of drugs worth at least R340 million in Cape Town on Friday.

The drugs were confiscated in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces between 2019 and 2024.

The drugs include a large consignment of cocaine worth R65 million, confiscated at a seaport in Gqeberha in November 2013.

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said R5.2 billion worth of drugs have been destroyed in the country in the past three years.

Masemola added that in the past 6 months, more than 20 drug traffickers have been arrested at OR Tambo International Airport.

"Drug traffickers included two South Africans found with a combined value of R7.5 [million] worth of cocaine, as well as a 55-year-old Nigerian drug trafficker. All the suspects were all coming from Brazil."

He said the strong relations with South American counterparts are bearing fruit.