Brazil’s Federal Revenue Service seized 98.5 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside cylindrical metal rollers at a private terminal in the Port of Paranaguá on 2 September 2026, with the cargo manifest listing the Port of Durban as its destination. The interception is the latest confirmation that South American trafficking networks continue to target South Africa’s busiest harbour despite the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry exposing deep cartel infiltration of the country’s criminal justice system.
The Paranaguá seizure follows a cluster of interceptions at the Port of Durban between May and June 2026. On 5 May, police recovered R13 million worth of cocaine concealed in bus air-conditioning compartments, and on 6 June, approximately 90 kg valued at R36 million was found hidden in two excavators shipped from Santos, Brazil, according to a SARS media release dated 9 June 2026.
Three days later, on 9 June, SARS and the Hawks seized 30 bricks of cocaine from a container vessel originating from South America at the same port. SARS Commissioner Dr Johnstone Makhubu said the interceptions demonstrated that authorities were disrupting criminal networks. “We are strengthening monitoring at our ports through improved cargo profiling and targeted inspections,” Makhubu said in the SARS release. “Our message is clear, South Africa’s borders are not open to illicit trade.”
The Madlanga Commission, established in mid-2025, is investigating allegations that a drug cartel dubbed the ‘Big Five’ has infiltrated South Africa’s criminal justice system, politics, and private security. Hawks Lieutenant Colonel Nkoana Joseph Sebola testified before the commission on 8 June 2026 about a 715.86 kg cocaine consignment valued at approximately R286 million, shipped from Brazil to Durban concealed in Scania truck parts, and intercepted in Aeroton, Johannesburg on 9 July 2021.
Sebola’s testimony further revealed that R55 million worth of the seized Aeroton cocaine went missing from the forensic science laboratory where it was being stored. An individual referenced as ‘Alpha’ in Hawks testimony told a contact, “Look here the vessel is already set, let do last one pier 1, we do a mission impossible,” suggesting insider knowledge of port operations and procedures.
According to Daily Maverick, cocaine bricks bearing a ‘T’ in a yellow circle were seized at Durban on 5 May and 6 June 2026, matching branding discovered during a civil police search in São Vicente, Brazil, in April 2026. Tesla-branded cocaine found in the same Brazilian crackdown matched bricks seized at Durban harbour on 9 June, further confirming the direct supply line between Brazilian cartels and South African importers.
The Brazilian cartel Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), or First Capital Command, has deep operational ties to South Africa, using Durban as a gateway before drugs are transported to Gauteng for local distribution and onward export, as first reported by Daily Maverick on 14 June 2026. EWN reported on 5 June 2026 that the Hawks have been aware of the Santos-to-Durban trafficking route for at least two decades.
EWN reports that 541 kg of cocaine valued at more than R200 million was seized at Durban in 2021, while Daily Maverick reports 715.86 kg valued at R286 million for what appears to be the same or a related consignment. The discrepancy in weight and value could not be resolved from available sources, and it remains unclear whether these figures refer to different seizures or reflect reporting inconsistencies.
Acting National Head of the Hawks Lieutenant General Sphesihle Nkosi said drug trafficking was a national threat that fuels violence and harms communities. “We will pursue those responsible wherever they operate, both locally and across borders, and hold them accountable,” Nkosi said in the SARS release.
The September 2026 seizure in Brazil confirms that the trafficking pipeline through Durban remains operational despite the Madlanga Commission’s proceedings. Cape Flats News journalist Nadia Adams will check for further developments from the Madlanga Commission and any additional SAPS or SARS statements on the Durban route by 15 September 2026.