Five suspects are expected to appear before the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday following the discovery of a suspected R100 million drug manufacturing laboratory at a farm in Hekpoort, near Krugersdorp, Gauteng.
The five South African nationals were arrested last week after a multidisciplinary police operation uncovered the clandestine laboratory, where quantities of Mandrax and ecstasy tablets were found.
The suspects are expected to face charges of manufacturing and dealing in illegal drugs.
The operation was led by the South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (SANEB) of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks, in collaboration with SAPS Crime Intelligence at national head office, the Special Task Force and the West Rand K-9 unit.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the suspected laboratory was valued at an estimated R100 million.
The discovery comes amid a series of operations targeting suspected drug manufacturing facilities across South Africa, with investigators probing possible links between laboratories uncovered in different parts of the country.
Police also confiscated a licensed firearm during the Krugersdorp operation, according to reports by The Citizen and Eyewitness News.
Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni said the valuation included the property, equipment and drugs found at the scene.
Investigators are also examining who was behind the suspected operation and whether the drugs were intended for local distribution or international markets.
The Hawks have indicated that investigations into the ownership of properties linked to suspected drug laboratories form part of the broader effort to identify those involved in the illicit drug trade.
Last week Mogale said investigators were working to establish the origins of chemicals found at various laboratories and determine whether the facilities were connected.
The Hawks had identified 11 suspected drug laboratories across the country by that date, with more than 30 suspects arrested in connection with the discoveries.
The latest operation follows another suspected Mandrax manufacturing laboratory uncovered in Skeerpoort, near Hartbeespoort Dam, in the North West on Tuesday, October 6.
Four suspects were arrested during that operation, and police seized four firearms, including a rifle and three handguns, according.
The successive discoveries have intensified police efforts to investigate suspected drug production and distribution networks operating in the country.
Mandrax is an illegal drug containing methaqualone, a sedative-hypnotic substance, often combined with other ingredients in illicit tablets. Its use can cause serious health risks, including dependence and potentially fatal effects when combined with other depressant substances.
Ecstasy, commonly associated with the substance MDMA, can also pose serious health risks, including overheating, dehydration and potentially life-threatening complications.
The police have not yet disclosed the full quantities of Mandrax and ecstasy recovered at the Hekpoort property.
The Hawks have urged the public to report suspected criminal activities to law enforcement authorities as investigations into illicit drug manufacturing continue.
