Two foreign nationals arrested in multimillion-rand drug bust

· The South African

Two foreign nationals have been arrested after police uncovered a multi-million-rand clandestine mandrax laboratory in Erasmia in Pretoria on Wednesday.

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It is alleged that the suspected mandrax manufacturing lab produced about 800 000 tablets a day.

The suspects were arrested during a joint operation conducted by members of the Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (Saneb) and the South African Police Service (Saps).

The accused were allegedly manufacturing mandrax tablets estimated to be worth R100 million. 

MULTI-MILLION RAND ERASMIA DRUG LAB BUST 

Deputy National Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikii described the operation as a major blow to a large-scale criminal syndicate and to the illicit drug supply chain in the country.

Mosikii addressed the media at the scene on Wednesday evening.

“This is a major blow to a large-scale criminal syndicate and to the illicit drug supply chain in South Africa. Eight hundred thousand tablets a day is not just a small number.

“By dismantling this facility, we are disrupting the production capacity of a network capable of flooding our communities with hundreds of thousands of mandrax tablets every single day,” she said.

Mosikili revealed that some smallholdings and farms are being used as hideouts for illicit activities and the authorities are working on establishing the source of the drugs.

She said police are targeting properties linked to the illegal drug trade, dismantling their operations and disrupting the criminal networks behind them.

“We are going after the source and the manufacturing facilities We are going after the transportation routes and the distribution networks. And we are going after those who finance and profit from this illegal trade.”

“There is nowhere to hide. If you manufacture drugs, we will come for your laboratory. And if you transport drugs, we will intercept your consignments, and if you distribute drugs, we will arrest you. If you sell drugs in our communities, we will find you,” she said.

Mosikili said that the authorities have been monitoring activities and movements at the suspected mandrax lab for some time.

“Crime intelligence has been monitoring activities and movements at this small holding for some time now, the information gathered pointed us to the property, working together with other enforcement agencies, such as the Hawks and dog units,” said Mosikili.

The police also discovered an alleged new drug laboratory inside the premises where the suspects were about to manufacture crystal meth. 

SUSPECTS TO APPEAR IN COURT

The suspects are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 11 September 2026.

Mosikili said that there had been several major successes in the fight against drugs across the country.

CRYSTAL METH LAB BUST IN LIMPOPO

Five suspects were arrested for allegedly operating a multimillion-rand crystal meth manufacturing laboratory on a farm in Musina in Limpopo last month.

The police confiscated drugs and equipment with an estimated street value of R600 million and an undisclosed amount of cash.

Those arrested include two Zimbabwean nationals a Malawian national and two Mexican nationals.

The police stated that it was the third clandestine drug laboratory to be shut down in the province. 

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