South African Police Service members, working with Customs officials and Menzies Aviation personnel, intercepted a 95-kilogram consignment of cocaine estimated to be worth R28 million at OR Tambo International Airport on Friday, 31 July 2026.
The operation was intelligence-driven. Information from the SAPS Crime Intelligence Border Integrity Unit indicated a suspected drug shipment was due to arrive. Members of the SAPS Visible Policing Unit at the airport acted on that information in coordination with Customs and Menzies Aviation staff.
The cargo arrived on a flight from São Paulo, Brazil. It was intercepted at approximately 13:00 in the airport’s cargo section shortly after landing. Officers recovered 95 kilograms of cocaine during the search.
No arrests have been made. Investigations are continuing to identify and locate those involved in the attempted importation.
SAPS has stated that the service remains focused on disrupting organised criminal networks linked to the illicit drug trade and on protecting South Africa’s borders and ports of entry from criminal exploitation. The seizure forms part of ongoing intelligence-led efforts targeting drug trafficking through major entry points.
OR Tambo International Airport is South Africa’s primary international gateway and a frequent target for transnational drug smuggling attempts, particularly on routes involving cocaine originating from South America. Similar interceptions at the airport in 2026 have included both cargo seizures and arrests of individuals carrying concealed narcotics.
Police continue to work with partner agencies at ports of entry to detect and stop such consignments before they enter the domestic market.
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