Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said officers intercepted the man at the airport yesterday and searched him and his luggage. The suspected cocaine was allegedly hidden inside the luggage.

The weight and estimated street value of the substance had not yet been established. Police said the material would be subjected to further analysis before the quantity and value could be confirmed.

The suspect is expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on charges linked to drug trafficking. His identity has not been released, and the allegations against him have not been tested in court.

The arrest follows two major cocaine interceptions at the same airport in late August. Police and customs officials seized a combined 334 kilograms of suspected cocaine hidden in suitcases and cargo boxes.

OR Tambo is South Africa's main international air gateway and has become a major focus of police operations targeting international drug trafficking networks. The airport's passenger and cargo connections make it attractive to syndicates moving narcotics between South America, Africa, and Asia.

Drug mules are often recruited to carry narcotics across borders in luggage, parcels, or on their bodies. Some are offered money to transport packages without being told their contents, while others knowingly participate in trafficking operations.

The latest arrest indicates that airport interventions are targeting both large consignments and individual couriers. Police have said they are using intelligence-led operations and cooperation with airport authorities to disrupt trafficking at the country's ports of entry.

The suspect will remain in police custody until his first court appearance. Further charges could follow if investigators identify the people who supplied the drugs or organised the planned shipment.