Passenger bust with ‘cocaine in luggage, heroin in shoes’ at Cape Town International Airport

A passenger caught with cocaine concealed in her luggage and heroin in her shoes after landing at Cape Town International Airport will appear in court on Thursday.

The 28-year-old woman was arrested on Tuesday after authorities were tipped off about an alleged drug mule travelling from Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Cape Town.

“The suspect was intercepted in a multidisciplinary operation that included the Hawks’ SA Narcotics Enforcement Bureau, crime intelligence and the SA Revenue Service customs division,” the Hawks said on Wednesday.

“The joint team acted on a tip-off about a suspect travelling from Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Cape Town via Qatar Airways. Upon searching her luggage, the authorities allegedly found more than 2.7kg of cocaine and 200 grams of heroin concealed in her luggage and shoes. She was arrested and the drugs seized.”

The estimated street value of the drugs is R870,000. The woman will appear in the Bellville magistrate’s court.

Acting provincial head of the Hawks in the Western Cape Brig Mushavhaduvha Ramovha said: “This is an indication of the capacity and capabilities of the joint security forces to decisively deal with the numerous attempts to use the airport as a thoroughfare for drug smuggling.”

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