Police teams in KwaZulu-Natal have been hailed following a R171 million drug bust at the Durban Harbour this week. The consignment of cocaine was discovered aboard a vessel coming to SA from South America.
National police spokesperson, Colonel Athlenda Mathe, said a multidisciplinary team led by the SAPS Organised Crime Investigation unit was acting on intelligence-driven information about a vessel that was coming into the country from South America on Thursday.
"The team immediately operationalised the information and conducted surveillance where they identified the vessel. Together with the South African Revenue Service customs officials and K9 dogs, the teams identified the container this morning, with 12 bags of cocaine worth a street value of R171m," she said.
Acting National SAPS Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, has congratulated the teams.
“Well done to all teams involved, including our Transnational Drug Trafficking investigations unit. This should send a stern warning to all drug traffickers utilising our harbours that South Africa continues to intensify its efforts to dismantle and disrupt the global drug trafficking trade," Mosikili said.
Police said no arrests have been made and investigations are continuing to establish the source and destination of the drugs.
IOL