KEY POINTS
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OR Tambo International Airport has become a key transit point for global drug trafficking, with Brazilian couriers frequently arrested for smuggling cocaine.
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Authorities say recent arrests reveal deeper criminal networks involving local and international syndicates, not just isolated mules.
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South African law enforcement is enhancing surveillance and cooperation but faces challenges balancing security enforcement with due process and international crime dynamics.
Beyond the startling headlines of drug busts lies a far more intricate and troubling picture: South Africa’s OR Tambo International Airport has become a critical node in the global narcotics trafficking network, with an alarming increase in foreign nationals, particularly from Brazil, being used as drug mules.
IOL reports that the recent arrest of a 39-year-old Brazilian man—caught with R1.4 million worth of cocaine strapped around his thighs—is merely the latest symptom of a much larger issue confronting law enforcement and border control in the country.
The man, who had arrived from São Paulo and was en route to Benin, was intercepted during a targeted security screening operation. His method—wrapping narcotics around his body—was rudimentary compared to others recently apprehended with drugs swallowed in capsules or surgically implanted under the skin.
“He was pulled aside, and during a routine body search, officers found tightly packed cocaine around both thighs,” said national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe. “He was immediately arrested and will appear before the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on charges of drug trafficking.”
OR Tambo Airport: Drug mules are the symptom—not the system
The latest arrest is not an isolated event. From January to March 2025 alone, more than 23,000 suspects were arrested in South Africa for drug-related offenses, with OR Tambo accounting for a significant portion of airport busts. Of those, over 20 were drug couriers apprehended during entry or transit, many coming through South America.
However, security experts warn that focusing only on individual mules ignores the sophisticated criminal networks that orchestrate these trafficking operations. Intelligence reports suggest a tightening alliance between West African cartels and South American producers, who are now using Southern Africa not only as a transit hub but increasingly as a market.
“These couriers are often the lowest rung in the hierarchy—easily replaceable and often unaware of the full scale of the operation they are feeding,” explained crime intelligence analyst Sipho Masondo. “Their arrests, while important, rarely lead to the kingpins.”
Indeed, just last month, authorities dismantled a large-scale drug lab in Mpumalanga, operated by a ring of South Africans and Mozambicans. They seized high-performance vehicles, R3 million in cash, and narcotics worth over R27 million—suggesting domestic processing capabilities are growing alongside the trafficking.
Moreover, OR Tambo’s vulnerability to drug trafficking has raised concerns about broader security lapses at the airport. Inconsistent scanning protocols, limited manpower, and alleged insider collusion have hindered consistent detection.
“You can’t intercept what you don’t suspect,” said a senior customs official speaking anonymously. “We’re working with outdated equipment while syndicates evolve their methods weekly.”
In response, the SAPS and the Department of Home Affairs have initiated a joint intelligence task force focused on tightening security and profiling high-risk passengers, particularly from narcotics-prone routes like Brazil, the UAE, and parts of West Africa. Discussions are also underway to integrate AI-based passenger behavior analysis and biometric tracking.
At the same time, South African law enforcement is under pressure to balance security with human rights, especially when detaining foreign nationals without full legal representation or translation support. Civil liberties advocates argue that the system must ensure transparency and fairness even while confronting complex international crime.
“There is a humanitarian side to drug trafficking that we often overlook,” noted Janet Moyo of the Africa Human Rights Forum. “Some of these mules are victims of coercion, poverty, or human trafficking. Not all are criminals by choice.”
As South Africa continues its war against drugs, the challenge lies not only in intercepting illicit cargo but in dismantling the global networks that see OR Tambo—and the country itself—as a weak link in a much larger chain.
