A drug manufacturing operation in Krugersdorp has yielded Mandrax tablets estimated to be worth at least R100 million, with police now investigating possible links to another drug laboratory uncovered in Hartbeespoort Dam, North West.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni revealed the staggering value of the haul during a police briefing at the farm where the suspected laboratory was uncovered on Thursday.
He said investigators were still working to establish the full extent of the operation and whether the drugs were destined for South African streets, international markets, or both.
“We cannot overrule that it can be both,” Mthombeni said.
Police also found quantities of ecstasy at the premises.
The discovery was made during an operation involving SAPS Crime Intelligence and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations, commonly known as the Hawks.
Investigators are now examining whether the Krugersdorp laboratory is connected to the drug manufacturing facility discovered in Hartbeespoort Dam.
Mthombeni said authorities could not yet confirm the intended market for the drugs, but warned that drug trafficking networks often operate across borders.
“Drug trafficking, ultimately at the end of the day, is something which is a major international transit,” he said.
He said police were also investigating the wider criminal activity associated with the drug trade, including violent crime and money laundering.
Mthombeni said proceeds from drug trafficking could be linked to other serious crimes, including murders, while the movement and exchange of illicit funds could form part of money-laundering investigations.
The commissioner stopped short of confirming that the drugs found in Krugersdorp were destined for export, saying investigators were still following the evidence.
The latest discovery adds to growing law enforcement efforts targeting clandestine drug manufacturing operations in Gauteng and neighbouring provinces.
Police investigations into the Krugersdorp laboratory, its suspects and possible links to other drug facilities are continuing.
