Article by Kotie Geldenhuys
Photo courtesy of RawPixels
For several months, the police closely monitored a ship travelling from Brazil to South Africa. Then, on 18 October 2023, just before the vessel reached the Port of Durban, authorities intercepted it. Mobilising various units and resources, they conducted a search and seizure operation on the identified containers. During the operation, 20 litre paint containers were seized, revealing 200 blocks of cocaine with an estimated value of R70 million (SAPS, 2023). This incident is one of a series of recent drug busts involving large shipments destined for South Africa that have been successfully intercepted.
South Africa’s strategic geographical position and its extensive trade connections with countries in Asia, Latin America, Western Europe and North America have positioned it as an attractive transit country for illicit drugs (Yesufu, 2022). Lizette Lancaster, the Crime Hub Manager at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), added that the country’s location, coupled with its porous borders, has turned South Africa into a focal point for drug trafficking (McCain, 2023). The country’s well-developed infrastructure, including airports and seaports, further facilitates the transit of illegal drugs, especially cocaine, heroin and methaqualone (Yesufu, 2022).
[This is only an extract of an article that is published in Servamus: March 2024. This article is available for purchase.]