R17m fake Viagra bust at airport

[admin]

Two consignments of counterfeit Viagra worth R17m were seized at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, national police said on Monday.

"Police confiscated the first consignment on January 20, worth R6m, and the second [on Sunday], worth R11m," said national police spokesperson Dennis Adriao.

He said both consignments were from Hong Kong and destined for Johannesburg.

Police picked up the contraband by profiling and technology, Adriao said.

"We verified that it was counterfeit and this could pose a possible health risk to people who take it."

Police were investigating both cases and no arrests have been made.

Police also seized a number of elephant tusks, a leopard skin and fake passports at the airport on the same day.

Adriao said police would not elaborate too much on the case due to the investigation, but five or six tusks were confiscated along with the skin and 33 passports from different countries, including South Africa.

Airport police arrested a 24-year-old man at Lanseria for being in possession of four weapons, two of which were verified to be stolen.

"He had three rifles and one shotgun," Adriao said.

Police verified that one of the rifles was stolen in a house robbery in Muldersdrift and the shotgun was stolen from police in Kuruman.

"We are still investigating and trying to track down where the other two were stolen from."