A 29-year-old suspected drug mule from South Africa has been arrested in Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia. Image: SAPS shared via X
(The Post News)- The South African Police Services (SAPS), in collaboration with the Ethiopian Federal Police, have apprehended an alleged drug mule from SA in possession of 13 kilograms (kg) of cocaine worth over R500 million.
The 29-year-old woman was arrested in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. Athlenda Mathe, the national police spokesperson, said the police had been monitoring the suspect’s activities after it was suspected that she flew to Brazil to collect cocaine and returned to South Africa through other countries.
According to Mathe, the suspect had flown from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to Brazil during the first week of October. He also revealed that police intelligence notified Ethiopian authorities about her planned return route through Addis Ababa and Sudan.
Mathe stated that upon arrival on October 12, the suspect was flagged for examination, which revealed 13 kg of cocaine in her suitcase. She was seized on the scene and is expected to face charges in an Ethiopian court.
The Ethiopian Federal Police and the Gauteng police counter-narcotics intelligence unit will closely collaborate with Interpol SA to identify the mastermind behind the drug trafficking.
General Fannie Masemola, the national police commissioner, praised law enforcement’s collaborative efforts. Masemola said this arrest has sent a clear message that the long arm of the law will find any culprit, regardless of how they attempt to smuggle drugs into the country.
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