Brazil

The witness had detailed information about the timing of the vessel leaving Brazil and docking, contradicting their claim of not knowing how long they would be in Durban.

“You knew the vessel has left Brazil. You knew it is docking. Otherwise, you are going there on the 7th and not on the 2nd or on the 20th of July. It does not make sense. So you had enough information to know that it has, and it must be so, that you knew it has left Brazil. You knew it is expected to dock on a certain date”

Witness I confirms they initially thought the tip-off related to the Masoma inquiry concerned drugs covered by that inquiry, but later realized it was a completely different cocaine drug from Brazil, unrelated to the inquiry.

“by then I did not know how it came . That came about later on .”

A person working for Scania in South Africa was found to have been in Brazil weeks before a ship left, suspected to be connected with the investigation; that person later resigned possibly due to being leaked information from within the investigative team.

“The person was in Brazil weeks before the ship could leave ... he was in here when it arrived ... The person resigned ... there was somebody who resigned from that Scania during the period of this investigation”

Mashaba told the investigating team they were following up on drug information from Brazil to Scania, and mentioned a person named Tumelo who was later interviewed.

“they were just telling us that they were following up upon information about the drugs from Brazil to Scania... So we asked for the contact details of Tumelo so that we can interview Tumelo, hence, we interviewed Tumelo at a later stage”

The Port of Santos in Brazil is identified as one of the key sources of seized drugs based on presentations and seizures from sea-going vessels.

“... presentation we dealt with by General Senona on seizures from these sea going vessels that the Port of Santos, Brazil, appears to be one of the key sources of these drugs.”

Containers with seized drugs arriving in Johannesburg or Durban are sealed and assumed sealed at point of origin, impairing local fingerprint matching as suspects are outside the local database.

“That container is sealed and it is assumed that it was sealed at point of origin... if LCRC uplifts any prints, they will not be able to match to anyone in our database because these are people out in Brazil.”

Increasing seizures from the Port of Santos and sharing fingerprints and DNA with Brazil empowers efforts to locate consistent perpetrators.

“The more of those fingerprints and DNA we uplift and share with Brazil, the more we empower them that tend to try and locate who may consistently be responsible for these shipments.”

Most drug-related insignia and loot were traced to come from Sao Paulo, Brazil, specifically from the Port of Santos.

“they were from São Paulo in Brazil also... they were tracked to be from the same direction which is Brazil... the Port of Santos in São Paulo”

Ms Wentzel denied knowledge of the black bags suspected to be carrying drugs while expecting a truck cap from Brazil; driver Mr Brightman Vusi Mthembu also denied knowledge of the bags. These individuals along with warehouse supervisor and receiver were arrested for dealing in drugs possession.

“Ms Wentzel confirmed that they were expecting a truck cap from Brazil, but denied any knowledge of the black bags, which were suspected to be carrying drugs. We also interviewed the driver, Mr Brightman Vusi Mthembu, and he also denied any knowledge about those bags. It was 23 large bags of suspected Cocaine. We then placed the driver of the truck, the Warehouse Supervisor, Ms Wentzel, and the Warehouse Receiver, Mr Cornelius, under arrest for dealing in drugs possession...”

The cocaine was sealed at the port of Santos, Brazil.

“They informed me it was also from the port of Santos in Brazil.”

Crime Intelligence Officer Captain Justice Jabulani Duma conducted a search and seizure of the identified container containing animal bone meal as a legitimate consignment, following proper procedure with photographic evidence of intact seal.

“Crime Intelligence Officer Captain Justice Jabulani Duma went to the depot to conduct a search and seizure of the identified container. According to the official documentation obtained from the depot and the company, who had ordered the legitimate consignment in the container, the container contained animal bone meal from a supplier in Brazil. The officers proceeded to break the seal of the container in the presence of Captain Duma as well as the Warehouse Manager and Operational Response Services, ORS, Border Policing. According to the officers, prior to breaking the seal, a photo was taken to evidence that the seal was intact.”