Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia says SAPS only inspects export containers with actionable intelligence. This follows reports that R4.3 billion in narcotics allegedly slipped out of South Africa to India.
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Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia says the South African Police Service (SAPS) does not systematically profile or search export containers for perishable goods unless there is specific actionable intelligence.
This follows reports that narcotics worth R4.3 billion were allegedly shipped to India without detection.
This comes after MK Party Member of Parliament (MP) Saira Abader asked Cachalia how such a large consignment could pass through port security, customs inspections, and border management controls undetected, which agencies were responsible for screening it, whether any officials had been disciplined, and what steps were being taken to prevent recurrence.
In response to her parliamentary question, Cachalia said, “Export containers containing fresh produce move through the port under strict time-sensitive conditions to maintain the cold chain and prevent spoilage.
''Opening sealed refrigerated containers without a risk-based justification may compromise the goods and disrupt legitimate export trade.”
He explained that SAPS Border Policing does not have access to shipping manifests before a vessel’s departure and often only receives container information after the vessel has left, sometimes up to three days later.
“As s a result, SAPS Border Policing does not systematically profile or search containers for export, particularly in the perishable goods environment, unless specific actionable intelligence is provided indicating the potential concealment of contraband,” he said.
Cachalia outlined the multi-agency responsibilities for cargo screening, noting that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs manages customs declarations and cargo compliance, the SAPS handles criminal law enforcement and targeted searches, the Border Management Authority (BMA) is responsible for border law-enforcement functions, and port operators oversee cargo handling and access control.
He emphasised that screening and clearance is a shared function, not the responsibility of a single authority.
Cachalia also confirmed that no SAPS officials have been suspended or investigated in relation to this specific consignment.
“No SAPS members have been subjected to disciplinary action in connection with the matter,” he said.
He noted that following the discovery of the narcotics abroad, the investigation into the criminal network responsible is being led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).
He said the investigation aims to trace the origin of the shipment, identify the syndicate involved, and assess whether facilitation occurred within the logistics chain.
Cachalia added that intelligence from these investigations may inform future operational responses, including targeted inspections of export cargo.
He also said that SAPS operations at ports in the past three financial years have successfully intercepted significant quantities of narcotics, through intelligence-led operations and targeted container searches,but the number of consignments that escaped detection is unknown.
''It is not possible to determine the number of consignments that may have escaped detection, as undetected consignments do not form part of official seizure statistics,'' said Cachalia.
Addressing concerns about South Africa becoming a transit hub for international narcotics syndicates, Cachalia said, “Border management systems globally must balance effective security enforcement with the facilitation of legitimate trade.
''Attempting to inspect every container, particularly within high-volume export sectors such as agricultural commodities, would severely disrupt supply chains and national economic activity.”
He said the government is taking steps to strengthen maritime border security, including enhancing intelligence-led targeting of high-risk consignments and trade routes, improving inter-agency cooperation, and incorporating identified trafficking methodologies into future profiling and operational planning.
“These measures are intended to strengthen the capacity of law-enforcement authorities to detect and disrupt transnational narcotics trafficking while ensuring the continued efficient movement of legitimate export goods, particularly within the perishable agricultural sector,” Cachalia said.
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