35-year-old Brazilian woman Gleyiane Da Silva has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of drug trafficking following her arrest at Cape Town International Airport.
Gleyiane Da Silva was arrested in March last year after
arriving on a flight from Brazil. According to the Hawks, authorities had
received intelligence suggesting that she was transporting cocaine into South
Africa.
During a search, officers discovered cocaine with an estimated street value of R500,000 concealed in her sports bag.
Investigators also found additional packets of cocaine that Da Silva had swallowed in an attempt to evade detection.
The court handed down an eight-year prison sentence but
suspended three years of the term, meaning she will serve five years in prison,
provided she complies with the conditions attached to the suspended sentence.
The Hawks welcomed the court's decision, saying the
sentence sends a strong message that drug trafficking will not be tolerated and
reinforces law enforcement's commitment to combating transnational drug crime.
Done by: Nia Damoense
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