Namibian Drug Mule Sentenced for Swallowing 68 Bullets of Cocaine, SA Reacts
- The South African Police Service warned young women not to be drug mules after a Gauteng court sentenced one to prison
- A Namibian national will spend some time in prison after she was found guilty of transporting drugs
- South Africans called for a harsh sentence to be imposed on her and those guilty of drug-related offenses
Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.
Source: Getty Images
KEMPTON PARK, GAUTENG —The Kempton Park Magistrates Court sentenced a Namibian woman to eight years in prison for being a drug mule.
Namibian woman sentenced
According to the South African Police Service, the 30-year-old woman was arrested on 22 September 2024 after she landed at the OR Tambo International airport from Sao Paulo in Brazil. She was apprehended on suspicion of having drugs in her possession.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
She was medically examined and it was discovered that swallowed 68 bullets of cocaine. She later excreted the drugs. During interrogation at the time of her arrest, she alleged that she met a man who said they were going on holiday to Brazil. When they got to Brazil, she was forced to swallow the drugs and take them back to South Africa. Three of the eight years of her sentence were suspended.
Source: Getty Images
Drug mules that were arrested in SA
- A 21-year-old drug mule was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport in October 2024, and 110 cocaine bullets were found in her stomach
- A drug mule from Paraguay was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport on 6 October, and he had ingested 20 cocaine bullets
- A 44-year-old Brazilian man was arrested at the same airport on 28 November after she landed from São Paulo and had cocaine wrapped around her body
- A woman was arrested at the Cape Town International Airport on 16 March 2025 for attempting to smuggle drugs from Brazil
- Two people, a South African and a Brazilian, were arrested after they tried to smuggle cocaine to the value of R1 million through the OR Tambo International Airport on 20 March 2025
South Africans are not happy
South Africans commenting on Facebook were displeased with the sentence.
Lee-Ann Pienaarsaid:
"She's lucky it's here in South Africa and not a country with a language she doesn't understand and a death sentence. Hopefully, she learned her lesson."
Xolani Mashego said:
"Death sentence for drug trafficking, and we will have fewer drugs in South Africa."
Mcebo Khuba said:
"This must be changed to a much harsher sentence. Five years in jail is nothing for traffickers."
Ryan Wellworth said:
"She knew what she was doing because she wanted to make a quick buck."
Weekendzpecial Amo Hube said:
"Charging drug mules doesn't have much impact on the issue. Drug kingpins must be arrested and given harsher sentences."
Nigerian drug mule arrested
In a related article, Briefly News reported that a Nigerian drug mule was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport on 14 September 2024. He was on his way from Brazil to Nigeria when he was caught.
The police caught him after he was seen giving airline headphones to a cleaner. They confiscated them and found that cocaine was hidden in them.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
