South African police have arrested four individuals, including two Mexican nationals, following the discovery of a multimillion-dollar drug manufacturing operation on a farm in the country’s northern region.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, conducted a raid in Groblersdal after receiving tips about suspicious activities at the site, according to an SAPS statement.
During the raid, authorities searched four buildings on the farm and uncovered large quantities of chemicals used in producing illicit drugs, such as acetone and crystal meth, with an estimated street value of 2 billion South African rand ($109.4 million).
Among those arrested on Friday were the farm owner and two Mexican nationals. The police have indicated that further arrests could be possible as the investigation continues.
“What makes this different from other [seizures] is the involvement of Mexican citizens,” Katlego Mogale, national spokesperson for the Hawks told Reuters, adding: “It means that our task has just become very difficult.”
It remains unclear whether the drugs seized were intended for the South African market or for export.
The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that its embassy in South Africa has “not received the respective consular notification” and is working with local authorities to gather more information about the case and the involvement of the Mexican nationals.
The suspects are set to appear in Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing charges related to the manufacturing, distribution, and possession of illicit drugs, according to the police service.
Since 2019, police have reported shutting down approximately 131 drug laboratories nationwide. Last year, more than 19,000 individuals were arrested for drug possession during the festive season.
This year, the Hawks have identified 10 clandestine drug labs and made 34 arrests as part of their ongoing crackdown on drug-related crimes, the statement noted.
South Africa is dubbed as potentially one of the “largest meth consumer markets in the world,” researchers at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime highlighted in a 2021 report.
It was also described by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) last year as “an attractive drug transit country.”
The UNODC attributed the nation’s growing market for synthetic drugs to its “porous borders,” as well as its geography and international trade links.