Truck driver caught with R30 million drug cargo at Mozambique border

South African law enforcement agencies continue to crack down on drug smuggling operations with a R30 million drug shipment entering the country in a truck from Mozambique the latest bust to take place over the lockdown period. 

A driver and another passenger were arrested after police searched his truck at the Lebombo border and discovered a hidden compartment that housed a heroin and crystal meth stash destined for South African communities. 

Two suspects arrested  

Police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said that the driver and his accomplice was arrested on the morning of Monday 25 May after police became suspicious as he and his vehicle underwent a routine inspection at the border. 

Heath said that the full value of the shipment is still being counted and assessed, although he said that the early report suggests the cargo contained heroin, crystal meth and alcohol valued at over R30 million. 

“What we can say is that police are arresting that suspect now, and still counting the drugs’ value. But as it stands heroin is estimated at more than R20 million while crystal meth, which is still being counted, is worth more that R10-million,” he said. 

“Police became suspicious when the truck which was crossing to South Africa had additional compactments on it during a normal routine search,” said Hlathi. 

Latest bust  

Police have had some notable successes over the last month in terms of bringing drug smugglers to justice, with a major cocaine bust, also to the value of around R30 million, intercepted as it headed towards Cape Town on 18 May. 

Another cocaine bust was carried out at the Durban harbour on 12 May 2020 when a supply valued at approximately R16 million was intercepted by the Hawks directive for priority crimes.