A 30-year-old woman, Pauline Mbangula, was arrested after an X-ray scan revealed that she had ingested 68 pellets of suspected cocaine, weighing around 850 grams. Mbangula had traveled to Brazil with a man she believed to be her boyfriend, under the guise of a vacation. Upon arrival, he allegedly persuaded her to swallow the drug-filled pellets for smuggling.
South African authorities intercepted Mbangula as she returned from São Paulo and acted on a tip-off. After her arrest, medical exams confirmed the presence of the drugs in her stomach. She was immediately transferred to a detention facility and is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court, where she faces charges of drug trafficking and possession.
If convicted, Mbangula could face up to 25 years in prison. The authorities suspect that this is part of a broader transnational drug trafficking operation. SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola commended the vigilance of the officers involved, emphasizing that South Africa will not tolerate criminal activity, particularly involving drug smuggling.
Mbangula’s case serves as a stark reminder of the dangerous risks posed by ingesting drugs for smuggling purposes. In 2006, a similar attempt by another woman tragically resulted in death when the drugs burst inside her body. The value of the drugs in Mbangula’s case is still being determined, and investigations continue as more charges may be forthcoming.