Two arrested as police seize R200m Mandrax haul in Pretoria lab raid
South African police have arrested two individuals and seized R200 million worth of Mandrax tablets during a raid on a sophisticated laboratory in Pretoria. This operation follows a series of major drug busts across the country, including a recent R600 million seizure in Limpopo.
Why it matters
The crackdown highlights the government's intensified efforts to dismantle large-scale drug syndicates that are increasingly utilizing rural properties for illicit manufacturing.
Police have raided a suspected large-scale Mandrax manufacturing laboratory in Pretoria, and have arrested two people.
The intelligence-led raid, which was carried out along with the Hawks and other law enforcement partners on Wednesday, led to the confiscation of drugs worth more than R200 million.
“We have noted with concern that some smallholdings and farms are being used as hideouts for illicit activities, including the manufacturing of drugs.
“Today, we have hit the back[bone] of a large-scale drug syndicate operating from this smallholding in Erasmia. This is not a small operation. We are talking about a sophisticated manufacturing operation that was allegedly producing approximately 800 000 Mandrax tablets a day. This is a major blow to a large-scale criminal syndicate and to the illicit drug supply chain in South Africa,” deputy national commissioner for policing Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili said.
Two people were found on the property and they were arrested.
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