South African police seize heroin that came from Mozambique

Maputo, 18 Jul (AIM) – The South African police in Mpumalanga province have seized heroin valued at 75 million rands (about 4.2 million US dollars) from a truck that entered the country from Mozambique.

According to reports in the South African media, a 49 year old foreign citizen was arrested during the operation, held on Sunday.

The spokesperson for the police Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (usually known as the Hawks), Katlego Mogale, said the heroin was intended for the international market.

She said the police serious organised crime team “is committed to disrupting the proliferation of illegal drugs and ensuring that people involved in smuggling the banned substances face the full might of the law”.

“It is reported that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s South African Narcotic Bureau (Sanab) received information on a truck that could possibly be ferrying illegal drugs,” added Mogale.

“The fire department assisted with the opening of the concealed compartment where 250 one kilogram heroin bricks with an estimated street value of 75 million rands were discovered,” said Mogale.
The national head of the Hawks, Lt-Gen General Godfrey Lebeya said the drugs bust was a result of international police cooperation.

“The drug bust was as a result of the Trilateral Planning Cell (TPC) which is a team established by the ministries responsible for policing of the republics of South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania, to counter heroin trafficking through the Southern Route” said Lebeya.

The Hawks said an investigation is also under way to determine how the truck managed to enter South Africa without being thoroughly checked at the border.
(AIM)
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