/ 21 March 2009

Ephidrene seized at OR Tambo

Ephedrine worth an estimated R15,6-million on the street was seized at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park on Friday, said police.

The haul comes just days after airport police intercepted a 565kg consignment of the same drug, expected to fetch R170-million on the street.

Captain Dennis Adriao said police were investigating whether there were links between the two consignments. He said both consignments were packaged in similar drums on Emirates flights and both had been sent from the Middle East.

The latest find was made by the police’s anti-smuggling unit during the routine vetting of cargo.

Adriao would not reveal which flight the second consigment had arrived on. He would also not divulge the country of origin, but did say it was destined for Durban.

Ephedrine is commonly used to produce tik and CAT.

Adriao described the haul as ”quite a big one”.

No arrests had been made.

He said cargo was usually taken off an aircraft and placed in a holding area where it was checked by customs officials and police before being released.

Technology, profiling and sniffer dogs were among the methods police used to assess whether the cargo contained prohibited substances.

The consignment seized on Tuesday came into the country on a flight from Pakistan, police said at the time — describing the bust as the largest made at the airport in 10 years.

Interpol and crime intelligence spokesperson Tummi Golding said the powder appeared to have been destined for an address in Johannesburg and that police were following up on leads.

The ephidrene was taken to a forensic laboratory in Pretoria to be destroyed. – Sapa