OR Tambo cocaine bust nets R28 million haul

Police seized 95 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated R28 million at OR Tambo International Airport on Friday, 31 July 2026.

This comes after an intelligence-led operation involving SAPS Crime Intelligence’s Border Integrity Unit, the Visible Policing Unit, Customs officials and Menzies Aviation. The cargo arrived on a flight from São Paulo, Brazil, and officers intercepted it at about 1pm in the airport’s cargo section.

SAPS said the shipment was stopped as soon as it landed. ‘No arrests have been effected at this stage,’ the service said, while investigators work to identify and apprehend those behind the attempted smuggling operation.

#sapsHQ [POLICE AT OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SEIZE COCAINE WORTH R28 MILLION]#DrugsOffTheStreets

The South African Police Service (SAPS), working together with key law enforcement partners, has intercepted a consignment of cocaine worth an estimated R28 million at OR… pic.twitter.com/c17s1I8rPG

SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) August 1, 2026

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the operation shows the value of joint enforcement at South Africa’s ports of entry. SAPS said it will keep working with its partners to disrupt organised criminal networks and protect the country’s borders from criminal exploitation.

The bust also shows how intelligence sharing and cargo screening can stop illicit shipments before they move further inland. It places renewed attention on how quickly coordinated teams can act when a suspicious consignment lands at one of the country’s busiest gateways.

Police have not released further details on suspects or the intended destination of the drugs yet, as investigators continue to follow up on leads linked to the shipment.