Police have confirmed that the 14th drug mule nabbed at OR Tambo International Airport had to be rushed to a hospital amid a health complication.
On Monday, the Deputy National Commissioner responsible for policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, confirmed that the drug mule aged 43, from Paraguay, arrested on Sunday, has been rushed to hospital after he had swallowed multiple foreign objects suspected to contain cocaine.
The drug mule had landed from São Paulo when he was arrested at the airport.
“The suspect has so far released 117 bullets of suspected cocaine. The releasing process has been stopped. This must send a strong message out there and serve as a deterrent that this exercise is dangerous and can cause loss of life. SAPS remains on high alert to prevent and combat criminality at OR Tambo International Airport,” said Mosikili.
Speaking on Newzroom Afrika, Mosikili said they have seen a spike in the detection of drug mules in recent days.
“Every time a release happens, there will be bleeding, that process has been stopped and he was rushed to hospital for medical treatment,” she said.
Mosikili said police have been communicating successes through “Operation Shanela”.
“The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) is looking at levels three to five of these criminal networks. Currently, we have more than 24 000 cases… We have more than 77 000 arrests of people found in possession of drugs.”
Every week in the last month, the SAPS has arrested at least one drug mule at OR Tambo International Airport. Last week alone, police arrested three, including two Dutch traffickers who were found with 80kg of khat. A 21-year-old South African woman was also caught, she released over 100 bullets suspected to contain cocaine.
“This arrest brings the total number of drug mules arrested at this airport in the last couple of weeks to fourteen," said SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk.
Legal counsel Natasja Otrebski said the majority of her clients are women who find themselves in desperate financial situations that make them vulnerable to drug syndicates.
“Most of my clients are women, they are young and vulnerable, a lot of them are mothers and are trying to make a better life for themselves or at least thinking that they are going to make themselves financially stable by doing these dangerous jobs.
“When I say dangerous, obviously we have a criminal system that we are working around, they face years in prison and also their lives are in danger,” she said.
The Star