Police in Gauteng have made significant arrests at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, nabbing three individuals involved in drug trafficking within a week. The suspects, hailing from Nigeria, Brazil, and Ethiopia, were apprehended for attempting to smuggle drugs through the airport.
The first arrest occurred on June 5, 2025, when a 42-year-old Nigerian national arrived from São Paulo en route to Nigeria. The suspect was found to have swallowed over 70 drug ‘bullets’ suspected to contain cocaine, as confirmed by a medical x-ray. Just five days later, on June 10, 2025, a 30-year-old Brazilian woman was intercepted upon her arrival from São Paulo. In her luggage, authorities discovered more than 100 cocaine-filled ‘bullets’, also confirmed by a medical x-ray.
Later that same day, a 57-year-old Ethiopian national was stopped at the airport’s check-in counter before boarding a flight out of the country. A search of the suspect’s luggage unveiled over 90 kilograms of Khat. All three individuals were arrested and are set to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on charges of drug trafficking.
These recent arrests come as part of a broader crackdown on drug trafficking at OR Tambo International Airport. In the past six months, Gauteng police have intercepted more than 23 drug traffickers at the airport through targeted intelligence-driven operations.
The prevalence of drug mule arrests at OR Tambo International Airport has sparked discussions about South Africa’s role as a key transit point for international drug syndicates. Willem Els, a crime expert from the Institute for Security Studies, highlighted how organised crime syndicates exploit South Africa’s strategic location, with direct flights from São Paulo to Johannesburg serving as a lucrative route for drug couriers.
Collaboration between Brazilian federal police and South African authorities has been instrumental in cracking down on drug trafficking along this route. The recent arrests underscore the ongoing efforts to combat drug-related crimes and disrupt the operations of transnational criminal groups operating in the region.
