Derrick lives each day battling both heroin addiction and cancer. Once filled with pain and hopelessness, Derrick has attempted suicide multiple times — one attempt with a shotgun left his face permanently disfigured. Now, he says death feels like the only way out of the cycle of pain and drugs. 

The second man came to Baltimore from New York, hoping to gain custody of his son and start a new life. But instead, he got caught in the same streets he was trying to escape — lured in by the same drug culture he had promised to leave behind. 

The third man is two weeks clean from heroin, fighting daily to stay sober. Every day is a battle, especially living just one block from the corners that once held him hostage. This video captures their struggles, their regrets, and their fading hopes for redemption. It’s a raw look at how addiction, poverty, trauma, and environment can entrap people — even those who come with the best intentions. 

By John & Gem,  Based on recent reports and drug seizures, the Durban Harbour has been a major site for the transit of narcotics.1 While it is difficult to definitively state whether it is the sole gateway for narcotics into Africa, available information indicates it is a significant one. Here is a summary of the latest news and key points regarding the situation: 

Recent Drug Seizures at Durban Harbour

• Significant busts: There have been multiple large-scale drug seizures at the Port of Durban in recent years.2 In late 2024, police recovered over R80 million worth of cocaine concealed in a container.3 Another seizure in October 2023 netted R70 million worth of cocaine. These busts are often the result of intelligence-driven operations.

• Concealment methods: Smugglers use sophisticated methods to hide narcotics. Recent examples include concealing cocaine in containers disguised as legitimate cargo, such as kidney beans and meat boxes.4

• Origin and destination: Many of the large cocaine shipments seized at the Durban Harbour have been traced back to Brazil.5 The drugs are often destined for onward distribution, with some shipments found to be intended for Johannesburg.6 This suggests that the harbour serves as a transhipment point for a wider network.7

Durban Harbour as a Gateway for Narcotics

• Strategic location: The Port of Durban is the largest and busiest port in sub-Saharan Africa.8 Its size and central location on major international shipping routes make it an attractive target for organized crime syndicates.

• "Rip on/Rip off" method: Investigations have revealed that a common method used by traffickers is the "rip on/rip off" technique.9 This involves placing drugs in containers at the beginning of the journey, often at the port of origin (e.g., in Brazil), and then clandestinely removing them at the destination port (Durban), sometimes replacing the original seal.10

• Transnational networks: The scale of the drug seizures indicates the involvement of highly organized, transnational crime syndicates.11 These networks leverage the global shipping industry and exploit vulnerabilities in customs and port security to move large quantities of drugs.12

• Low inspection rates: A major concern highlighted in various reports is that a very small percentage of shipping containers are physically inspected.13 With millions of containers moving through African ports annually, this presents a significant opportunity for traffickers to move illicit goods with a low risk of detection.14

In conclusion, while law enforcement agencies have made significant drug busts at the Durban Harbour, the continued seizures of large quantities of narcotics strongly suggest that the port is a major hub for the transit of drugs, not just into South Africa, but potentially into the wider African continent. The challenges of limited inspection capacity and the sophisticated methods used by criminal syndicates contribute to the harbour's role in this illicit trade.