Brazilian ‘baecation’ with Nigerian lover turns ugly
Namibian drug mule’s fate from hell
The former nightclub waitress and mother of one could face as many as 25 years in South African jail if convicted.
Pauline Mbangula, a Namibian woman arrested in South Africa on Sunday after airport X-ray screening allegedly detected drugs in her stomach, was apparently on a Brazilian ‘baecation’ with her Nigerian lover, who convinced her to smuggle the drugs by swallowing them.
South African Police Service (SAPS) national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told Namibian Sun that by noon yesterday, Mbangula had expelled 68 bullets of suspected cocaine.
“She will be taken to hospital to check if all those bullets are out. She is being closely monitored, and has not been detained at the cells because she needs to release all those drugs from her system,” Mathe said at the time.
Mbangula (30) allegedly took a flight from Luanda to Brazil with her Nigerian lover, who told her they were going on vacation in the South American country.
“Mbangula travelled to Brazil under the pretence of going on vacation with her so-called boyfriend. Upon arrival, he convinced her to ingest drugs, and upon returning to South Africa, she was supposed to meet someone - still unknown to the police - who would walk her through [the checkpoints],” Mashadi Selepe, also a SAPS spokesperson, told Namibian national broadcaster NBC yesterday.
‘Part of a larger syndicate’
Mbangula was arrested on Sunday morning at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg for smuggling 68 confirmed drug pellets. Acting on a tip-off, SAPS, along with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and immigration officials, were alerted to a drug mule arriving from São Paulo, Brazil, at approximately 07:25 on 22 September.
Selepe further confirmed that following her arrest, she was taken to a local hospital, where medical X-rays confirmed the presence of foreign objects in her stomach.
She yesterday described Mbangula as having a "fragile demeanour and looking vulnerable", based on observations.
"She seems to be part of a larger syndicate,” Selepe added.
In an update late yesterday, Mathe said: “Another medical examination/X-ray has confirmed that all drugs have been removed from the Namibian drug mule’s body. [She] has released 68 drug bullets from her body. The estimated weight of the drugs is 850 grams".
She added: “She has been moved to a detention facility and is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 25 September, on a charge of dealing in drugs and drug possession. Additional charges may be added at a later stage”.
SAPS said the value of the drugs must still be determined.
Not a criminal’s playground
General Fannie Masemola, National Commissioner of SAPS, commended the multidisciplinary teams’ vigilance in combatting crime at OR Tambo. "Our men and women in blue are hard at work intercepting hardened criminals. South Africa is not a playground for criminals, and we are squeezing the space for transnational organised crime," he stated.
International drug trafficking intercepted in South Africa could lead to imprisonment of up to 25 years.
According to research, this dangerous trafficking method involves ingesting tightly wrapped drug packages, often covered in latex or plastic, which are stored in the stomach or intestines to avoid detection during travel. However, this practice poses significant health risks. Any rupture or leakage can result in severe complications or even death due to drug toxicity.
In 2006, Namibian woman Darlin da Silva Paiva, who was allegedly used as a drug mule, died after pellets of cocaine burst in her stomach, triggering a deadly chemical reaction. She was carrying 31 pellets of cocaine with a street value of N$205 000. Her husband, Bruno da Silva Paiva, was found with 13 pellets in his stomach, and was arrested in connection with the crime.
Who is Pauline Mbangula?
Born in Grootfontein in 1994, Mbangula lived in Walvis Bay for many years. For quite some time, she worked at a popular Klein Windhoek nightspot as a waitress.
However, earlier this year, the mother of one migrated to the north, where she stayed for some months before returning to Windhoek, where she allegedly found the going tough.
Sources from her social circles confirmed that she has been ‘struggling’ financially lately, and had been staying at a friend’s place in Otjomuise as recently as last month.
South African Police Service (SAPS) national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told Namibian Sun that by noon yesterday, Mbangula had expelled 68 bullets of suspected cocaine.
“She will be taken to hospital to check if all those bullets are out. She is being closely monitored, and has not been detained at the cells because she needs to release all those drugs from her system,” Mathe said at the time.
Mbangula (30) allegedly took a flight from Luanda to Brazil with her Nigerian lover, who told her they were going on vacation in the South American country.
“Mbangula travelled to Brazil under the pretence of going on vacation with her so-called boyfriend. Upon arrival, he convinced her to ingest drugs, and upon returning to South Africa, she was supposed to meet someone - still unknown to the police - who would walk her through [the checkpoints],” Mashadi Selepe, also a SAPS spokesperson, told Namibian national broadcaster NBC yesterday.
‘Part of a larger syndicate’
Mbangula was arrested on Sunday morning at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg for smuggling 68 confirmed drug pellets. Acting on a tip-off, SAPS, along with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and immigration officials, were alerted to a drug mule arriving from São Paulo, Brazil, at approximately 07:25 on 22 September.
Selepe further confirmed that following her arrest, she was taken to a local hospital, where medical X-rays confirmed the presence of foreign objects in her stomach.
She yesterday described Mbangula as having a "fragile demeanour and looking vulnerable", based on observations.
"She seems to be part of a larger syndicate,” Selepe added.
In an update late yesterday, Mathe said: “Another medical examination/X-ray has confirmed that all drugs have been removed from the Namibian drug mule’s body. [She] has released 68 drug bullets from her body. The estimated weight of the drugs is 850 grams".
She added: “She has been moved to a detention facility and is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 25 September, on a charge of dealing in drugs and drug possession. Additional charges may be added at a later stage”.
SAPS said the value of the drugs must still be determined.
Not a criminal’s playground
General Fannie Masemola, National Commissioner of SAPS, commended the multidisciplinary teams’ vigilance in combatting crime at OR Tambo. "Our men and women in blue are hard at work intercepting hardened criminals. South Africa is not a playground for criminals, and we are squeezing the space for transnational organised crime," he stated.
International drug trafficking intercepted in South Africa could lead to imprisonment of up to 25 years.
According to research, this dangerous trafficking method involves ingesting tightly wrapped drug packages, often covered in latex or plastic, which are stored in the stomach or intestines to avoid detection during travel. However, this practice poses significant health risks. Any rupture or leakage can result in severe complications or even death due to drug toxicity.
In 2006, Namibian woman Darlin da Silva Paiva, who was allegedly used as a drug mule, died after pellets of cocaine burst in her stomach, triggering a deadly chemical reaction. She was carrying 31 pellets of cocaine with a street value of N$205 000. Her husband, Bruno da Silva Paiva, was found with 13 pellets in his stomach, and was arrested in connection with the crime.
Who is Pauline Mbangula?
Born in Grootfontein in 1994, Mbangula lived in Walvis Bay for many years. For quite some time, she worked at a popular Klein Windhoek nightspot as a waitress.
However, earlier this year, the mother of one migrated to the north, where she stayed for some months before returning to Windhoek, where she allegedly found the going tough.
Sources from her social circles confirmed that she has been ‘struggling’ financially lately, and had been staying at a friend’s place in Otjomuise as recently as last month.
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