JOHANNESBURG - The flight and cabin crew of a South African Airways (SAA) flight were arrested at London's Heathrow Airport on Tuesday after customs officials found 50 kilos of cannabis (dagga) and four kilos of cocaine in their baggage.

The crew had arrived at Heathrow on the 8am flight from Johannesburg. Officers from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) discovered approximately 50 kilos of cannabis (dagga) worth about £150,000 in three pieces of luggage as the crew passed through a customs clearance point.

According to Bob Gaiger, a Heathrow spokesman for Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs, a further search of the baggage uncovered "about four kilos of a white powder that has tested positive for cocaine." The estimated street value of the cocaine is £160,000. The combined value of the drugs seized is now estimated at some £310,000 (R4.4m).

The fifteen individuals included ten women and five are men. Following the detection of the drugs the case was passed to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and enquiries are continuing. Gaiger stated, "Those arrested are now being held in custody and will be interviewed by HMRC investigation officers. HMRC together with UKBA play a vital role in the fight to prevent illegal drugs from entering the UK and in protecting our communities from the violence and corruption that always accompany this hideous trade."

SAA spokeswoman Robyn Chalmers confirmed that the "arriving SAA crew members on flight SA234 ( Johannesburg - London ) were detained by British customs after three bags were found to contain contraband."

"SAA is co-operating with UK authorities and an investigation in Johannesburg , involving SAA Aviation Security and the SAPS Crime Intelligence Unit, is also under way. SAA will continue to closely monitor the situation going forward" she said in a statement.

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