An elderly traveller at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg was found with heroine hidden away in her handbag, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) said on Saturday.

The wheelchair-bound woman, 74, was destined for a central European country when customs officers intercepted the stash on Thursday, said SARS spokesperson Sicelo Mkosi.

They found a powdery substance concealed in hidden stashes in her bag, which later tested positive for heroin. It had an estimated street value of almost R500 000.

Mkosi said the woman was arrested on charges of drug possession and attempted smuggling.