Cocaine Smuggling
1Min
South Africa
Oct 29, 2025
Police seized R20 million worth of cocaine on a Midrand plot, arresting a 56-year-old man in a major national crackdown on drug syndicates. SAPS said syndicates are using farms and plots for illegal drug activities as South Africa faces growing infiltration by international cartels.
A major police operation has led to the discovery of R20 million worth of cocaine hidden on a plot in Blue Hills, Midrand. The seizure marks one of the biggest drug busts in Gauteng this year and forms part of a series of coordinated national operations targeting organised drug networks.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the intelligence driven operation took place on Tuesday evening. The multidisciplinary team included members from the Crime Intelligence Head Office, Gauteng Organised Crime Unit, SAPS Johannesburg K9 Unit, and the Local Criminal Record Centre. Acting on a tip-off, the team raided a plot where drugs were allegedly being stored for distribution.
Police said the cocaine was hidden in a storage room on the property. The narcotics, weighing approximately 80 kilograms, were brought into South Africa from a neighbouring country and were destined for Cape Town.
A 56-year-old man believed to be the owner of the plot was arrested at the scene. He is expected to appear before the Midrand Magistrate’s Court later this week on charges of possession and dealing in drugs.
SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that the operation was part of ongoing efforts to disrupt transnational criminal networks using South Africa as a base for trafficking.
“The recovery of these drugs is a result of coordinated intelligence and strong cooperation among different police units. Our teams will continue to follow leads to dismantle these networks completely,” Brigadier Mathe said.
Mathe further warned that drug syndicates have begun targeting farms and plots to conceal their activities. “Syndicates use farms and plots to do illegal activities including manufacturing drugs. Others rent farms from owners to do their illegal activities,” she said.
This latest seizure comes amid increasing concern that South Africa is being targeted by international drug syndicates. The country was recently named among the most dangerous in the world, with law enforcement agencies warning that global cartels view South Africa as a safe haven to conduct illegal operations.
The Midrand bust follows a string of similar police successes in other provinces this week.
In the Free State, members of the Provincial Anti-Gang Unit (PAGU) arrested a 24-year-old woman for dealing in drugs after intercepting her vehicle near Clocolan on Tuesday night. The team, which had received intelligence that drugs were being transported between Johannesburg and Ficksburg, found a large quantity of Nyaope and Mandrax tablets in her possession.
Police said the woman had just returned from Johannesburg after allegedly collecting a consignment of narcotics. The estimated street value of the recovered drugs is R11 000. She has been formally charged with dealing in drugs and will appear in the Clocolan Magistrate’s Court soon.
Free State police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli said the success demonstrated the ongoing efforts by police to dismantle drug supply routes in rural areas. “The Anti-Gang Unit continues to monitor and target individuals involved in trafficking and distributing drugs in our communities,” Kareli said.
Meanwhile, in Gauteng, Roodepoort K9 Unit members arrested two men aged 25 and 50 at a residence in Schultz Street, Horizon View, on Tuesday. During a search of the property, officers recovered Mandrax tablets and six five-liter containers filled with crystal methamphetamine. The seized drugs have an estimated street value of R3 million.
Both suspects were taken into custody and are expected to appear before the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court shortly.
Police management has commended the ongoing cooperation between specialised units across provinces. SAPS said these operations are part of a broader campaign to fight organised crime, which includes intelligence sharing, increased border monitoring, and community-based reporting of suspicious activity.
While the latest busts have been widely praised, police are facing growing public concern over how confiscated drugs are handled. In past cases, it was revealed that some seized narcotics ended up back in the hands of criminals. Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi previously told the Madlanga that some drugs recovered from raids had been stolen from police storage facilities and redistributed illegally.
This has led to declining confidence in the police among community members, who fear that corruption within law enforcement continues to undermine efforts to curb the drug trade. Civil society groups have called for tighter oversight and independent audits of police evidence stores.
Despite the challenges, SAPS has vowed to continue intensifying its operations. Over the past month, several large-scale seizures have taken place across South Africa, including busts in Durban, Gqeberha, and the Northern Cape.
The latest Midrand operation, however, highlights both the scale and sophistication of drug networks operating in the country. With millions of rands worth of cocaine, Mandrax, and methamphetamine intercepted in a single week, authorities say they are determined to trace and dismantle the syndicates behind the trade.
Police investigations are ongoing, and more arrests are expected as officers pursue leads linked to the Midrand bust.
Brigadier Mathe said the fight against drugs remains one of the police’s top national priorities. “We urge communities to come forward with information that can help us combat this scourge. Every successful seizure brings us closer to breaking the cycle of organised crime that is destroying lives,” she said.
The 56-year-old Midrand suspect remains in custody, and his court appearance is expected to shed more light on the extent of the network involved.
