vessel Polonia

On 8 May 2020, Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit seized 35 kilograms of suspected cocaine from a container offloaded from vessel Polonia from the Port of Santos in Brazil; exhibits submitted to FSL in Amanzimtoti on 21 May 2020.

“On 8 May 2020, members of the DPCI Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit followed up upon information in relation to a container that was already offloaded from the vessel Polonia that originated from the Port of Santos in Brazil. Upon further investigation, 35 kilogramme bricks of suspected Cocaine were recovered from a container. The cocaine had the logos Nautica, BMW, MTA, Z and on the wrappings. The crime scene was properly dealt with in terms of crime scene management principles. The exhibits were photographed and sealed in forensic evidence bags. The mass of the suspected Cocaine was 35 kilogrammes. The exhibits were booked in at Maydon Wharf SAP 13 SAPS under a specific reference number. The exhibits were submitted to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Amanzimtoti on 21 May 020. FSL confirmed that the exhibits are cocaine.”

On 11 August 2020, members of the DPCI Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit recovered 20 kilograms of suspected cocaine from a container on the vessel Polonia, originating from the Port of Santos in Brazil.

“On 11 August 2020, members of the DPCID urban Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit followed up upon information in relation to a container that was on the vessel Polonia that originated from the Port of Santos in Brazil. ... Upon further investigation, 20-kilogram bricks of suspected Cocaine were recovered from the container.”

In the Durban cocaine seizure of 20 kg, the absence of the LCRC was somewhat offset by the actions taken by investigators at the scene, though some tasks were performed by investigators only because they had to be at the scene before criminals.

“In this case, I think you specifically pointed out that there is risk of non-attendants on the LCRC not attending the scene was somehow ameliorated by the actions of the investigators themselves. ... But the reason why the investigators moved in here and conducted the investigations was that they had to beat the criminals to the vessel, and specifically the container.”