R13 Million Cocaine Seized at Durban Harbour in Major SAPS Bust

• Police have seized cocaine worth R13 million at Durban Harbour after acting on intelligence linked to a prior drug bust in Gauteng
• SAPS discovered 32 blocks of suspected cocaine hidden inside the air conditioning compartment of buses shipped from South America and destined for Gauteng.
• No arrests have been made, but authorities are investigating a broader smuggling network

DURBAN —A major drug bust has rocked KwaZulu-Natal after police seized cocaine worth an estimated R13 million at Durban Harbour overnight.

According to the South African Police Service, the operation followed intelligence gathered from a previous drug recovery in Gauteng in April, which indicated that the narcotics had entered the country through the Durban Harbour. Authorities then profiled vessels and acted on tip-offs, leading to a targeted search.

Drugs were found hidden in a bus

During the operation, officers from Durban Operational Response Services and the Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit discovered 32 blocks of what is suspected to be cocaine hidden inside the air conditioning compartment of a bus. The buses had been shipped from a South American country and were destined for Gauteng.

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Police confirmed that no arrests have been made yet, but investigations are underway to track down those behind the smuggling network. The bust has once again raised concerns about Durban Harbour’s role as a key entry point for drugs, with the port handling a significant share of South Africa’s container traffic.

See post from journalist Desan Thathiah on the bust:

The latest seizure has also sparked public concern online, with some recalling past incidents involving missing drugs at the port, including a 2021 case linked to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation. Authorities say efforts are ongoing to dismantle the broader trafficking network connected to the shipment.

Five women nabbed with R5 million worth of drugs

In other drug-related news, five South African women were dramatically intercepted at OR Tambo International Airport after police uncovered a high-stakes drug smuggling operation involving substances worth over R5 million. The suspects, believed to be en route to China via Dubai, were arrested on Saturday, 28 March 2026, following a targeted operation by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in collaboration with Airports Company South Africa (ACSA). Police confirmed that a thorough search led to the discovery of drugs hidden inside the suspects’ sneakers, underwear, and private parts.

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3 drug-related articles

• Police nabbed five foreign nationals on a farm operating a crystal methamphetamine laboratory. This follows a tip-off about a strange chemical smell at the farm in Volksrust, Mpumalanga, on Friday, 19 September 2025.
• KZN SAPS uncovered an alleged dagga cultivation laboratory believed to be supplying drugs to school pupils in the Lamontville area, south of Durban.
• A Mexican national was arrested after police busted a drug lab in Rietfontein, Pretoria. Police seized chemicals, drug manufacturing equipment and drugs, believed to be methamphetamine, during the raid and arrested a 36-year-old man.

Police nab transgender with cocaine worth R8 million

Previously, Briefly News reported that police at OR Tambo International Airport arrested a 26-year-old Brazilian national after intercepting cocaine with an estimated street value of R8.7 million. The transgender suspect was apprehended on Sunday afternoon shortly after arriving on a flight from Brazil.

Source: Briefly News