By: Natasha Archary

Five suspects, including 2 Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) employees were arrested for drug trafficking on Wednesday, 15 November at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA).
The arrests were made in a highly coordinated operation spearheaded by the DIRECTORATE FOR PRIORITY CRIME INVESTIGATION (HAWKS).
All five suspects were arrested on allegations of drug trafficking, contravention of the Civil Aviation Act, and contravention of the Customs and Excise Act after a large drugs consignment was recently confiscated in Australia.
According to the HAWKS, the suspects are employees of various companies at ORTIA, and are accused of facilitating the thoroughfare of drugs coming into and out of the airport.
Two of the suspects are said to be employees of ACSA, two are from Menzies Aviation and one is from Swissport.
All five suspects will be appearing at the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on Friday, 17 November.
“This is a first operation of its kind in relation to transntional drug trafficking perpetrated through ORTIA, where a drug seizure made abroad was positively linked to suspects in South Africa for their complicity.
The Provincial Head of the Hawks in Gauteng, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, applauded the joint investigation team for their concerted effort in ridding the airport with unsavory characters tarnishing the name of ORTIA and the country.
The Hawks is totally committed to countering drug trafficking and would like to send a strong message to corrupt officials in such companies to not get involved in facilitating such illicit activities.”
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