Brazilian Woman Nabbed at OR Tambo With R4.2 Million Worth of Cocaine, SA Believes It’s Just a Decoy
- A Brazilian woman, travelling from São Paulo, was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on 29 July 2025
- The 25-year-old woman was arrested by law enforcement officials after she was found with cocaine in her luggage
- South Africans shared their thoughts about the latest bust and called for stricter punishments for offenders
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Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG - Law enforcement officials continue to crack down on drug mules at the OR Tambo International Airport.
Officials’ latest bust saw them seize 10kgs of cocaine with an estimated value of R4.2 million. The bust was made after a woman, travelling from Brazil, arrived in South Africa on 29 July 2025.
Why was the woman arrested?
According to police, a 25-year-old Brazilian national was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport after she was found with 10 kg of cocaine in her luggage. She was also taken for a medical examination to determine if she swallowed any of the cocaine-filled bullets as well.
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Police also confirmed that the woman was travelling from São Paulo in Brazil, via Doha in Qatar, to South Africa. She was apprehended by a team comprising Crime Intelligence Counter Narcotics Intel Gauteng, ORTIA SAPS Tactical Team, Border Management Authority (BMA), and private security.
The arrest is the latest in a number of successes this year. Through intelligence-led operations, the South African Police Service has already arrested more than 25 drug traffickers since the beginning of 2025 at OR Tambo International Airport alone.
How did South Africans react to the news?
Social media users were not surprised by the latest bust, with some speculating that a bigger shipment had already made its way into the country, while others called for tougher actions to stop the drug scourge.
Gingie Thembani said:
“Drug dealing must be confronted with the death penalty if we are to start cleaning the country.”
VhO RamawA added:
“It was a decoy. Just know there was a big shipment happening at the same time.”
Tshepo Rsa stated:
“Drugs have finished our youth in townships. People are now walking zombies.”
Phethile Mthenjane said:
“The drugs will go missing from police custody. We all know the drill by now.”
Nirandran Keegan Naicker suggested:
“This is just a decoy, and those caught didn't know what they were carrying.”
Bra Mashesha III added:
“Another pandemic we are currently facing. This is just a decoy. The big shipment went through.”
Namibian drug mule sentenced by Gauteng court
Briefly News reported that a Namibian woman was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for being a drug mule.
The South African Police Service believed that it serves as a warning for young women not to be drug mules.
The woman was sentenced to time in prison after she was found guilty of transporting drugs into the country.
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Source: Briefly News
