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Cocaine smuggling is big business.

For every major bust, like that R400 million seizure recently when the Hawks pulled over a truck on the N1 travelling towards Cape Town to discover a massive stash of cocaine, there are likely many that slip under the radar.

Surprisingly, it’s another R400 million cocaine bust that has resulted in the seizure of a yacht moored at the V&A Waterfront marina

The Sunday Times reports that two men have been arrested, along with the yacht seizure, in connection with a suspected cocaine smuggling operation run out of the marina:

The 60ft Ke Nako [below], now abandoned at its mooring in the marina, forms part of an investigation into a R400m drug bust in which 805kg of cocaine was found stashed in a ski-boat being towed on a Gauteng freeway.

Four vessels linked to the case have now been seized and eight suspects have been arrested, the Hawks said.

Image: Ruvan Boshoff / The Sunday Times

“On  July 1 Hawks investigators arrested two suspects on the [ski-boat] case where 805kg of cocaine valued over R400m was seized along the N1 Pretoria in June 2021,” said Hawks spokesperson Brig Thandi Mbambo.

Ke Nako, which means ‘it is time’ in Sotho, was a very popular rallying cry in 2010 when we hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Although the connection has not been officially spelt out, it’s suspected that the yacht may have been used to transport cocaine along with a fishing boat that has also been seized by authorities.

A spokesperson for the V&A Waterfront said they are cooperating with the investigation. The yacht has attracted prior attention:

At one stage the V&A tried to arrest the vessel due to unpaid fees, estimated to be between R500,000 and R1m.

A maritime source, who asked not to be named, said: “Two months ago a whole forensic team was down here, a whole team with dogs. I don’t know what has happened since then.”

Officially, there is no record of the boat leaving South African waters at any point over the last two years.

Given that so many apartments overlook the V&A Waterfront marina, sources familiar with the location are surprised that a drug syndicate would consider operating there.

Two years ago, Ke Nako was sold to unnamed foreign buyers

You can read the full Sunday Times report here.

[source:sundaytimes]