The SAPS at the Beit Bridge border post have intercepted 80 kilograms of cocaine to the value of about R23 million, which was smuggled from Zimbabwe into the country.

A haulage truck carrying the drug was cleared by Zimbabwean immigration and customs – only to be intercepted on the South Africa side. South African Revenue Services (SARS) spokesperson Marika Muller said it was the biggest ever shipment of cocaine they had intercepted being smuggled into the country.

“We can confirm that we seized cocaine worth about R23 million, concealed in a truck attempting to enter South Africa from Zimbabwe,” she said in a statement. “The truck had started its trip in Malawi. The truck had been identified for closer searches, and had been moved out of the processing queue to be checked.”

She said inside the truck’s cabin the customs team found bags containing wrapped A4-sized parcels which the driver claimed contained his clothes. “Initial inspection indicated the parcels contained a soft white substance. After a full physical search, the team found 100 A4 parcels, weighing 800kgs in total, each containing smaller packages of a white powder,” Muller said.

Muller said the powder was confirmed as cocaine by chemical testing. “This is the single biggest seizure of cocaine ever at Beit Bridge. The truck driver was arrested and the truck was seized.”