BUSTED! R50m drug empire exposed — Foreign kingpins, luxury cars & cash stashes found

Mchunu

Mpumalanga – A multi-agency police operation has uncovered a series of clandestine drug laboratories in Standerton, Mpumalanga, leading to the arrest of eight suspects, including foreign nationals believed to be in the country illegally.

The seized items, which include machinery, chemicals, vehicles, and finished drug products, are estimated to be worth more than R50 million.

In a statement on Sunday, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu confirmed the success of the intelligence-driven operation that began in April 2024 and culminated in a string of high-profile arrests and seizures earlier this month.

The operation, spearheaded by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Secunda, the Standerton K9 Unit, Standerton Crime Intelligence, and private security, was triggered by a public tip-off regarding suspicious activity in the area.

On 4 April 2025, a raid on an industrial storage facility uncovered large quantities of liquid and powder chemicals, along with machinery believed to be used for manufacturing illicit drugs. Four Mozambican nationals found at the scene — all undocumented — were arrested. A subsequent search led police to a nearby farm, where a clandestine drug lab was discovered and a Mozambican couple, parents of one of the original suspects, was also arrested.

Three vehicles were seized at the scene, and the value of the confiscated items was pegged at R20 million.

On 7 April 2025, all six suspects appeared briefly at the Standerton Magistrate’s Court.

Fresh intelligence received on the same day led to two more raids on 8 April. One of the properties, a residential house, revealed additional drug manufacturing operations, including a tablet pressing machine, a petrol generator, and buckets containing finished drug products valued at R28 million. A disassembled machine worth over R2 million was also recovered.

Two South African men, one Black and one White, were arrested on the spot. A third South African suspect later handed himself over to authorities. The trio appeared in court on 10 April.

Among the assets seized during the second raid were several luxury vehicles, including a Mercedes Benz with R3.6 million in cash found in its boot. A white Isuzu bakkie was also impounded at a separate address.

While one South African suspect has since been released, the remaining eight suspects are in custody and are expected to appear in court for a formal bail hearing on 25 April 2025.

“This operation demonstrates the need to boost our law enforcement capacity,” said Mchunu. “Drug syndicates are operating in both industrial and residential zones — it’s a wake-up call to municipalities to monitor the activities taking place in the spaces they lease.”

He added that illegal activities are known to thrive at taxi and bus ranks, urging municipalities and law enforcement to conduct routine raids in such areas.

Mchunu stressed that the SAPS has made significant progress in dismantling drug production operations since August 2024. Notable seizures include:

  • July 2024: Crystal meth and chemicals worth R2 billion recovered in Groblersdal, Limpopo.

  • October 2024: Mandrax lab worth R4 million uncovered in Makotse village, Limpopo.

  • November 2024: R100 million lab dismantled in Rietfontein, Tshwane; one Mexican national arrested.

  • December 2024: Johannesburg bust uncovers R4.5 million worth of drug production equipment.

  • March 2025: Hidden lab worth over R1 million seized in Vanderbijlpark.

The SAPS reported that 800kg of drugs with a street value of R340 million were destroyed on 7 March 2025 alone. Over the past three years, drugs worth R5.2 billion have been destroyed.

The minister also raised concerns about the involvement of undocumented foreign nationals in the drug trade. “While some of those arrested are South Africans, the majority are illegal immigrants. We must maintain a consistent focus on securing our borders and removing those conducting criminal operations within our country,” he said.

He concluded by commending the police units and private security partners involved and encouraged communities to report any suspicious activity. “The fight against drugs requires all hands on deck,” said Mchunu.

The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster is expected to convene later this month to discuss further measures to secure South Africa’s borders and combat transnational crime.

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