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Drug traffickers are constantly finding innovative ways to hide their stash in a desperate bid to avoid the beady eyes of law enforcement agencies at all ports of entry in the country.
At times, the peddlers are successful, but often they are busted in spite of the innovative ways they outsmart the expensive technology the state pays for to detect drugs.
Last week, City Press discovered some of the cleverest hiding places traffickers used to bring drugs into the country, but they were foiled by equally cunning agencies.
Hawks officers told City Press that an array of drugs arrive at OR Tambo International Airport stuffed in strange places, from women’s bras to wigs, hats and even in children’s nappies. Officers have even found dagga in garden hoses, and heroin hidden in thigh bandages that enhance a woman’s curves.
But hiding cocaine in travel bags is where the most creativity is being employed. This ranges from secret compartments to hiking boots and wheels, and in hard-shell luggage with cocaine hidden inside the shell.
“It takes a very cunning and observant police officer to bust the culprits,” said a senior Hawks officer who is stationed at the airport.
He is part of a team of five that has nailed scores of drug traffickers since being stationed at the airport.
“I have seen it all. I have seen body bags specifically designed to conceal drugs. I have seen an expensive whiskey bottle used to conceal liquid cocaine,” said the officer.
According to him, drug traffickers at times get help from manufacturers, which is evident because of the level of sophistication in how some drugs are concealed.
“I have seen a hair combo that had custom storage to conceal cocaine, and that can only be done when the manufacturer is involved,” said the officer.
“At times, some of the officials at the airport are involved. We have arrested some airport employees and SA Revenue Service officials for colluding with drug traffickers.”
Since the Hawks team was deployed in November last year, it has recovered drugs with an estimated street value of R70 million.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said drugs were not only entering the country, but South Africa was also being used as a conduit for drugs to be taken to other countries.
“This includes compressed dagga, which is always destined for other countries,” he said.
Ten years ago, the UN warned Southern African countries that illegal drug cultivation, trafficking and abuse were increasing on the continent. This led to the South African government implementing the National Drug Master Plan 2013/2017 – a single document covering all national concerns regarding drug control. It defines government priorities and the allocation of responsibilities for drug-control efforts in collaboration with the UN Drug Control Programme strategy.
The plan serves as the country’s blueprint for preventing and reducing alcohol and substance abuse and its associated social and economic consequences on South African society, and builds on the foundation laid down by government’s programme of action on substance abuse.
In South Africa, at least one third of teenagers experiment with drugs and about 15% of the population has a drug problem, which is costing South Africa R20 billion a year, according to the SA Police Service.
