SAPS Dismantle R100 Million Drug Lab in Pretoria, Find Chemicals, Manufacturing Equipment and Drugs

• The South African Police Service has dismantled a drug lab in Rietfontein, Pretoria
• SAPS found chemicals, drug manufacturing equipment, and drugs suspected to be meth
• Brigadier Brenda Muridili confirmed that drugs were still a big issue in the province

GAUTENG – A Mexican national has been arrested after police bust a drug lab in Rietfontein, Pretoria.

Police seized chemicals, drug manufacturing equipment and drugs during the raid and arrested a 36-year-old man.

The drugs are suspected to be methamphetamine (tik/crystal meth).

Drugs still a serious issue in Gauteng

Speaking to eNCA at the scene, Gauteng SAPS Spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili confirmed that drugs were still a serious issue in the province.

Brigadier Muridili explained that this was the 13th drug lab SAPS dismantled this year alone.

It was also the second-highest-value drug bust in Gauteng. The estimated value of the drugs is R100 million.

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Police are not ruling out more arrests, believing the man wasn’t working alone. They are also investigating where the drugs were supposed to be supplied and who owned the building used for the operations.

The 36-year-old will appear in the Atteridgeville Magistrate's Court within the next 48 hours and faces charges related to manufacturing and dealing in drugs.

Two arrested at Douglasdale drug lab

The latest bust comes three months after Gauteng police pounced on a drug lab in Douglasdale near Fourways in August.

The operation was estimated to be worth R80 million, and machinery used to press Mandrax tablets was also found at the scene.

Two foreign nationals were arrested, and two illegal firearms and some pellet guns were confiscated. At that stage, police noted that it was the 10th operation they had dismantled in the area that was using the same modus operandi.

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Limpopo druglords apply for bail

Earlier this month, two men applied for bail after new evidence surfaced against them.

Briefly News reported that the men were arrested for allegedly running a drug lab on a farm.

Five men were arrested in total for the crime in July 2024, one of whom was the farm owner.

Source: Briefly News