The R80 million drugs busted by the KwaZulu-Natal police earlier on Friday was shipped from Brazil in South America and disguised as kidney beans destined for the South African market.
Police said the ship that delivered it left Brazil early last month and docked in Durban over the weekend.
Acting on intelligence gathered about the ship, the police searched the container and found pure cocaine.
“Police received information about a vessel which left Brazil at the beginning on November and was carrying pure cocaine which was disguised as kidney beans. The vessel, which came to South Africa via another country, was monitored until Saturday, 30 November 2024 when it docked at the Durban Harbour.
The identified container was taken to a warehouse on South Coast Road in the Bluff area for a proper search,” the police said.
They added that the cocaine was destined for Johannesburg in Gauteng. An investigation is now underway to find the people behind the shipment.
“During the search, eight bags of crushed pure cocaine were found and according to the documentation, the shipment was destined for Johannesburg. Investigations are underway to uncover the people behind the drugs,” the police added.
In the past few days the people have arrested several Brazilian and South African nationals who were trying smuggle drugs through the OR Tambo international airport.
