Over the past three financial years, authorities have reported 92 drug seizures at OR Tambo International Airport in Gauteng.

While 96 arrests have been made in the same period, only 19 of these have resulted in convictions. Sentences for these crimes range from fines to direct imprisonment of up to 12 years.

This is according to Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia, who was responding to a written question from uMkhonto weSizwe Party Member of Parliament Bongani Mkongi about progress made in cracking down on and prosecuting individuals responsible for trafficking operations at the airport.

OR Tambo, located in Ekurhuleni, is South Africa’s largest airport, facilitating between 58 000 and 60 000 travellers per day and approximately 21 million per year, making it a major transit point vulnerable to trafficking operations.

Mkongi’s question noted two recent drug busts in early March, where authorities seized crystal meth destined for the Philippines, valued at approximately R2.2 million, and R672 000 worth of dagga that was shipped from Morocco.

Cachalia told Mkongi that of the 96 arrests made, one-third (32) are currently on the court roll, and 28 have been provisionally withdrawn pending forensic laboratory results.

He also revealed that an additional 13 warrants of arrest have been issued.

Based on data from the 2023/24 financial year, khat, a stimulant plant, was the most common drug found during seizures at the airport.

Authorities confiscated over 1.2 tonnes of the plant, amounting to an estimated street value of R2.4 million. Dagga was identified as the second-most common drug detected at the airport at 632 kilograms.

While significantly less cocaine was confiscated in 2023/24 at roughly 40 kilogrammes, this had the highest street value of all drug seizures at R16.9 million.

This was followed by crystal meth at 46.5 kilogrammes, worth R11.6 million, and 22 kilogrammes of heroin valued at R7.1 million.

Mkongi also asked what attempts are being made to prevent cargo warehouses at the airport from being used for international drug trafficking.

Cachalia said that the South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed teams responsible for profiling and searching cargo based on trafficking routes, source countries, and other risk indicators.

Cachalia said this approach is conducted in coordination with the South African Revenue Service and the Border Management Authority.

“The approach focuses on identifying suspicious consignments while facilitating legitimate trade and passenger flows through the airport environment,” Cachalia said.

In recent successes, police managed to arrest four drug mules in three days at the end of April, one of whom was carrying R8.7 million worth of cocaine in her luggage, having arrived from Brazil.

SAPS attributed these busts to “ongoing intelligence-driven operations targeting transnational drug trafficking networks.”