Law enforcement agencies at OR Tambo International Airport have seized 565kg of CAT, the chemical used to manufacture the popular drug tik (crystal meth).
The consignment, the biggest seized at a South African airport in five years and worth about R170-million, was found on flight EK761 from Pakistan soon after it landed in Joburg at 2pm on Tuesday.
A joint task team of Interpol and the SA Police Service's Transinternational Investigative Unit and Cargo Anti-Smuggling Unit - acting on a tip-off - netted 20 bags of the chemical hidden in an Emirates plane's cargo hold.
The Cargo Anti-Smuggling Unit's forensics department tested the contents of the consignment found on the passenger and cargo plane, and confirmed that it was the chemical used to produce tik.
Authorities said the investigation was still at a very sensitive stage and they would not speculate whether a drug-smuggling syndicate was involved.
No arrests had been made last night.
"The investigation will be conducted to find out if the crew were involved," Interpol and Crime Intelligence spokesperson Senior Superintendent Tummi Golding, said last night.
Golding said an investigation was under way to establish if there was a link between Tuesday's bust and the one made in Brazil last week, where 57 people, including airport staff, police officials and crew members were arrested.
- Pretoria News
The consignment, the biggest seized at a South African airport in five years and worth about R170-million, was found on flight EK761 from Pakistan soon after it landed in Joburg at 2pm on Tuesday.
A joint task team of Interpol and the SA Police Service's Transinternational Investigative Unit and Cargo Anti-Smuggling Unit - acting on a tip-off - netted 20 bags of the chemical hidden in an Emirates plane's cargo hold.
| 'The investigation will be conducted to find out if the crew were involved' |
Authorities said the investigation was still at a very sensitive stage and they would not speculate whether a drug-smuggling syndicate was involved.
No arrests had been made last night.
"The investigation will be conducted to find out if the crew were involved," Interpol and Crime Intelligence spokesperson Senior Superintendent Tummi Golding, said last night.
Golding said an investigation was under way to establish if there was a link between Tuesday's bust and the one made in Brazil last week, where 57 people, including airport staff, police officials and crew members were arrested.
- Pretoria News
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