Authorities at the Durban Harbour have successfully prevented a significant quantity of illicit substances from entering the country. On 6 June 2026, a joint operation involving the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), Customs officials, the Durban Visible Policing Operations (VPO), and the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) resulted in the seizure of approximately 90 kilograms of suspected cocaine.
Discovery and seizure
The operation was initiated after Customs officials alerted the South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (SANEB) of the Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) unit to suspicious packages hidden within an excavator. The machinery had arrived at the Q and R Car Terminal aboard the vessel Neptune Ace Tokyo, which had traveled from Santos, Brazil.
Upon conducting a thorough inspection of the first excavator, officials discovered 47 blocks of a powdered substance suspected to be cocaine concealed inside a panel near the engine compartment. While processing this scene, authorities received reports of a second discovery on another excavator that had also been offloaded from the vessel. A subsequent inspection of the second piece of equipment revealed an additional 43 blocks of the suspected narcotics.
Valuation and investigation status
With a total of 90 kilograms seized, officials have estimated the street value of the haul to be approximately R36 million, calculated at a rate of R400 000 per kilogram.
At this stage of the investigation, no arrests have been made. The seized items are currently being transported to the Forensic Science Laboratory for official chemical analysis as the DPCI continues its investigation into the matter.