On 09 June 2026, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) advised that, working with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), it had secured the seizure of 30 bricks of cocaine at the Port of Durban.
SARS stated that an interception on the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) coast on the day followed closely on the heels of another major seizure on 06 June 2026, where about 90 kg of cocaine concealed in excavators from Brazil was intercepted at the same port. These operations point to intensified efforts by organised crime syndicates to move narcotics through South Africa’s trade gateways, matched by a coordinated and firm response from law enforcement.
The interception forms part of ongoing collaborative efforts between SARS and other international law enforcement agencies to combat illicit trade and transnational organised crime. Through intelligence-led risk profiling and targeting methodologies, a container vessel originating from South America was identified for inspection upon arrival at the Durban Harbour.
The Durban Customs team boarded the vessel, located the container below the waterline, and, during the inspection, identified that certain parts of the container’s apparatus had been tampered with. This resulted in a more intrusive inspection, leading to the detection of concealed narcotics and a mobile test kit confirming it to be 30 bricks of pure cocaine.
The consignments were identified through intelligence-led profiling and risk assessment by SARS Customs officers. Targeted inspections, supported by detector dogs and on-site verification, resulted in the detection and recovery of the concealed drugs. The SARS Commissioner and the acting national head of the Hawks highlighted the strength of coordinated enforcement across agencies.
SARS indicated that it and its law enforcement partners would continue to strengthen controls at ports of entry. The recent seizures form part of a broader effort to dismantle organised criminal networks and protect legitimate trade.