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Hawks and Customs seize R36 million in cocaine at Durban Harbour

South African authorities, including the Hawks and Customs officials, intercepted 90 kilograms of suspected cocaine valued at R36 million at Durban Harbour on Saturday, June 6, 2026. The operation involved the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation's Serious Organised Crime Investigation's South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau, Customs, Durban Visible Policing Operations, and the Local Criminal Record Centre. The drugs were discovered concealed within two excavators that arrived from Santos, Brazil, aboard the vessel Neptune Ace Tokyo. Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale stated that a Customs official alerted SANEB members to suspicious packages in the first excavator, leading to the discovery of 47 blocks of suspected cocaine. A subsequent inspection of a second excavator, already offloaded, revealed an additional 43 blocks. The total seizure amounts to approximately 90 kilograms, with an estimated street value of R36 million. No arrests have been made, and investigations are ongoing. The seized substances will undergo chemical analysis at the Forensic Science Laboratory. Acting Provincial Head Brigadier Zenobia Mulligan commended the team, reaffirming DPCI's commitment to disrupting transnational drug trafficking and protecting South Africa's ports.