Major cocaine haul seized at Durban Harbour in second major bust

The pure cocaine seized from the South American vessel.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS), working alongside the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), has dealt a significant blow to the illicit drug trade after seizing 30 bricks of pure cocaine at the Port of Durban.

The multi-million-rand narcotics bust, intercepted on Tuesday from a container vessel originating in South America, marks the second major drug haul at the KwaZulu-Natal port in less than a week.

This operation follows another major cocaine seizure just three days earlier, when authorities intercepted approximately 90kg of cocaine concealed in excavators arriving from Brazil. Law enforcement agencies warn that transnational organised crime syndicates are increasingly targeting South Africa's maritime trade gateways.

In a joint statement released by SARS and the Hawks, the agencies said the 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.