SA drug trafficker nabbed in Ethiopia with 13kg of cocaine, headed for Joburg
Image source: The Bulrushes
A South African drug smuggler was apprehended in Ethiopia while attempting to bring R5.4 million worth of narcotics into South Africa from Brazil.
A 29-year-old woman was arrested on Saturday after Gauteng police, working with Interpol SA, flagged her for allegedly traveling through multiple countries to smuggle drugs from Brazil.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe revealed that, thanks to a joint operation with Ethiopian federal police in Addis Ababa, it was confirmed the woman had flown from OR Tambo International in Johannesburg to Brazil in the first week of October.
Brigadier Mathe stated that the suspected drug trafficker’s itinerary showed plans to travel from Brazil, passing through Addis Ababa and Sudan, before making her way back to South Africa.
“Police intelligence immediately notified the Ethiopian federal police about her movements. On arrival at Addis Ababa on [Saturday], she was flagged and her luggage was checked, which confirmed she was carrying 13kg of cocaine.”
The woman was swiftly arrested and now faces charges, with an upcoming court appearance in Ethiopia.National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola praised the joint effort of law enforcement, stating that this sends a strong message: no matter the route, the long arm of the law will catch anyone attempting to traffic drugs into the country.
Gauteng police’s counter-narcotics unit, in collaboration with Interpol SA, will team up with Ethiopian federal police to track down the mastermind behind the massive cocaine shipment.
The drug trafficker’s travel plan showed she intended to journey from Brazil to South Africa, stopping in Addis Ababa and Sudan along the way. Meanwhile, SAPS intelligence was quick to alert the Ethiopian Federal Police about her route.
Upon arriving in Addis Ababa on Sunday, she was flagged for inspection. A search of her luggage revealed she was carrying 13kg of cocaine, worth an estimated R5.4 million. She was promptly arrested, charged with drug possession, and is set to appear in court.
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