In early 2025, a scandal rocked South Africa’s law enforcement community and captivated the nation’s attention.

An astonishing R86 million worth of cocaine vanished—not from the streets or ports, but from the very custody of the elite Hawks unit responsible for fighting organized crime.

This disappearance, occurring under the noses of the country’s top crime fighters, has exposed deep-rooted challenges within the police service and sparked widespread calls for accountability and reform.

The story begins in Durban, where a major drug shipment originating from Brazil arrived hidden inside a legitimate cargo container.

Declared as a shipment of beans, the container in fact concealed over 260 bricks of high-purity cocaine worth tens of millions of rands.

This was no ordinary bust; it was a major victory for South African law enforcement and international partners working to disrupt transnational drug trafficking networks.

Acting on an anonymous tip-off, a joint task force comprising the Hawks, SAPS Crime Intelligence, and Durban Metro Police intercepted the container at Durban harbour.

The shipment was destined for Gauteng but had been under close surveillance by authorities for weeks.

Upon inspection, officers discovered the cocaine cleverly disguised as tinned food, a smuggling tactic designed to evade detection.

The drugs were immediately seized and secured at a Hawks evidence facility.

The seizure was valued at over R86 million, marking one of the largest drug busts in recent memory.

However, what should have been a triumph soon turned into a perplexing nightmare.

Weeks after the seizure, the cocaine shipment mysteriously disappeared from the Hawks’ custody.

No forced entry was detected, and the drugs vanished from a secure evidence room guarded by South Africa’s elite crime-fighting unit.

This disappearance was not an isolated incident.

In 2021, a similar event occurred when cocaine worth R243 million vanished from Hawks offices in Port Shepstone just hours after being seized in Isipingo.

Again, there were no signs of break-ins or external theft; the drugs simply disappeared.

These incidents raised alarming questions about internal security, corruption, and the integrity of South Africa’s crime-fighting institutions.

Internal investigations revealed glaring procedural failures.

Chain-of-custody protocols, designed to ensure evidence is accounted for at every stage, were not properly followed.

Surveillance footage from the evidence rooms was missing or tampered with, and storage logs showed suspicious alterations.

These irregularities fueled suspicions of insider involvement.

Whispers of corruption within the Hawks began to circulate.

Multiple insiders alleged that some officers were leaking intelligence to local drug lords, warning them of impending raids and even selling seized narcotics back to criminal syndicates.

A former Hawks officer revealed that Durban’s organized crime unit had been infiltrated by criminal networks for years.

He described how drugs seized in Johannesburg mysteriously “resurfaced” in Durban, suggesting systemic collusion.

The gravity of the situation prompted KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to launch an internal inquiry.

In a public statement, he acknowledged that procedures were breached and warned that no one within law enforcement would be immune from accountability.

The admission marked a rare moment of transparency in a scandal that had shaken public confidence.

Shortly thereafter, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu visited Durban and vowed to “clean house.”
He admitted that faith in the Hawks had been severely damaged and announced the formation of a special oversight task team to investigate drug-related corruption in KwaZulu-Natal.

Despite these promises, tangible results remained elusive.

No officers were arrested, and no formal charges were laid.

The R86 million worth of cocaine remains missing to this day.

The investigation stalled, leaving many to question whether justice would ever be served.

The scandal soon attracted the attention of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police.

Opposition members accused the police of protecting their own and called for an external forensic audit of Hawks evidence facilities nationwide.

The Democratic Alliance led calls for transparency and accountability, demanding answers on how such a massive drug shipment could vanish without a trace.

Civil society organizations, including Corruption Watch, joined the chorus of concern.

They highlighted a disturbing pattern: major drug seizures, missing evidence, and a complete lack of accountability.

They warned that systemic rot within elite units like the Hawks could not be ignored if South Africa hoped to effectively combat organized crime.

Media investigations added further fuel to the fire.

Court documents revealed that a drug kingpin based in Phoenix had been tipped off before a Hawks raid—likely by someone inside the police force.

This revelation intensified public outrage and deepened suspicions of widespread corruption.

Social media became a platform for South Africans to express their frustration and disbelief.

Many questioned how drug evidence could disappear twice under the watch of national crime units tasked with protecting the public.

The scandal became a symbol of the broader challenges facing law enforcement in South Africa.

In early 2025, a potential breakthrough emerged when a whistleblower within SAPS came forward.

He claimed to have witnessed officers removing the shipment from storage under the pretense of transferring it for court evidence.

His testimony seemed poised to crack open the case and expose those responsible.

However, days later, the whistleblower was placed on administrative leave for “mental health” reasons and ceased all public communication.

This sudden silence added another layer of mystery and suspicion to the case.

Many feared that attempts to silence or discredit whistleblowers were hampering efforts to root out corruption.

As media attention waned, government officials insisted the investigation remained active behind the scenes.

Yet the file appeared to gather dust, and the public’s hope for resolution diminished.

The fate of the R86 million shipment remains unknown.

Speculation abounds about what truly happened.

Some believe the drugs were stolen through inside collusion.

Others blame inadequate systems and poor oversight.

A few suspect sabotage from higher up the chain of command.

Regardless of the truth, the Durban Drug Shipment Scandal has become emblematic of the deeper issues plaguing South African law enforcement.

It highlights the difficulties in maintaining integrity within elite units and the devastating consequences when trust is broken.

Until accountability is enforced and transparent procedures guaranteed, drug trafficking will continue to thrive—not only in shadowy criminal networks but sometimes within the very institutions designed to stop it.

The scandal raises critical questions about the effectiveness of current anti-corruption measures within SAPS and the Hawks.

It underscores the urgent need for reforms that protect whistleblowers, strengthen evidence management, and ensure that no one is above the law.

South Africa’s citizens deserve a police service that is professional, transparent, and dedicated to justice.

The disappearance of such a significant drug shipment under police custody undermines public confidence and emboldens criminal syndicates.

Moving forward, it is imperative that the government and law enforcement agencies take decisive action.

This includes conducting thorough, independent investigations, holding corrupt officials accountable, and implementing robust safeguards to prevent future incidents.

Civil society and the media also play vital roles in maintaining pressure for transparency and reform.

Public vigilance and engagement are necessary to ensure that cases like the Durban drug disappearance do not fade into obscurity.

In conclusion, the R86 million cocaine disappearance from police custody in Durban is more than a shocking headline.

It is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities within South Africa’s crime-fighting institutions and the urgent need for systemic change.

Only through unwavering commitment to accountability, transparency, and justice can South Africa hope to reclaim the integrity of its law enforcement and effectively combat the scourge of drug trafficking.

The Durban Drug Shipment Scandal remains an open wound and a call to action—a challenge for the nation to confront corruption head-on and restore faith in the institutions sworn to protect it.