THE Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team recovered a huge cache of cocaine in the Durban Harbour on Thursday, 25 November.
Hawks spokeswoman Brigadier Nomthandazo Mbambo said the team received information about an MSC vessel that was sailing from South America to South Africa, transporting containers with wooden flooring boards which had cocaine concealed within the consignment.
She said on arrival, the container was searched and large black sports bags, each with bricks of cocaine, were discovered between the boards.
“The drugs weighed 600kg with an estimated street value of R240 million.
“No arrests were made at this stage pending the ongoing investigation,” she said
The Hawks’ national head, Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, said he was pleased with the seizure and appreciates the efforts by the members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in disrupting the supply of the drugs.
“With the cargo safely in good hands, we shall now be focusing on the perpetrators. I have further appointed a team on the recommendation of the deputy national head to cover ground in dealing with the drugs that were stolen in a burglary incident,” he said.
