Police have dismantled a suspected Mandrax manufacturing laboratory in Erasmia, Pretoria, where drugs and equipment valued at about R110 million were seized during a wider nationwide crackdown on the illicit drug trade. Two Mozambican nationals were arrested during the Gauteng operation, which involved the Hawks, Crime Intelligence, K9 West Rand and the Special Task Force Pretoria.
The discovery was one of several major drug seizures recorded across South Africa last week, when police arrested 3,385 suspects for alleged drug possession and another 318 for alleged drug dealing, according to the South African Police Service.
ALSO READ: Kempton Park Deaths: Police Launch Task Team After Four Women Found Dead
R110 million drug operation uncovered in Pretoria
The Erasmia operation followed information received by law enforcement about a suspected drug manufacturing facility operating from a smallholding.
Hawks national spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Singo said officers acted on a tip off and conducted a joint operation at the property.
Members of the Hawks South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau, Crime Intelligence, K9 West Rand and Special Task Force Pretoria participated in the operation.
Police subsequently discovered what authorities described as a Mandrax laboratory.
According to information supplied by police, the facility was capable of producing as many as 800,000 Mandrax tablets per day.
Two suspects arrested in Erasmia
Two Mozambican nationals were arrested in connection with the suspected manufacturing operation.
Singo confirmed that the two foreign nationals were arrested for allegedly manufacturing illicit drugs.
Police initially valued the suspected Mandrax operation at about R100 million, while the total drugs reported as seized during the Erasmia operation were valued at approximately R110 million.
The arrests form part of a broader effort involving SAPS, the Hawks, customs officials and other law enforcement agencies targeting the manufacture, transportation and distribution of illegal drugs.
Authorities have not indicated in the information provided how long the Erasmia facility had allegedly been operating.
Police find second suspected laboratory at property
The Erasmia operation also led investigators to another suspected drug manufacturing facility on the same premises.
According to Singo, officers discovered an alleged new laboratory where preparations were reportedly being made to manufacture crystal meth.
The discovery broadened the investigation beyond the suspected Mandrax production taking place at the property.
Police did not provide a separate value for the suspected crystal meth facility in the information released.
Investigations into the operation and those allegedly involved are continuing.
More arrests recorded in Tshwane
The Erasmia operation was not the only drug related law enforcement activity reported in Tshwane.
Tshwane Metro Police Department spokesperson Colonel Isaac Mahamba confirmed that four suspects were arrested for alleged possession of drugs.
Another 13 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested during bylaw operations in Cullinan and Bronkhorstspruit, east of Pretoria, on Thursday.
The Cullinan and Bronkhorstspruit arrests were reported separately from the Erasmia laboratory operation.
The Gauteng developments came during a week in which police conducted multiple operations targeting drugs across several provinces.
More than 3,700 drug related arrests nationwide
SAPS national spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mukhathi said thousands of suspects were arrested for alleged drug offences during the reporting period.
Police recorded:
- 3,385 arrests for alleged possession of drugs
- 318 arrests for alleged dealing in drugs
That brings the combined number of reported arrests in those two categories to 3,703.
The nationwide operations involved seizures of Mandrax, cocaine and dagga, with several consignments valued at millions of rand.
The Pretoria operation was the largest individual seizure by value among the incidents detailed in the information released.
Millions in drugs seized outside Gauteng
Police operations elsewhere in the country resulted in further significant seizures.
In Mpumalanga, officers recovered 336kg of compressed dagga valued at R2 million following a high speed chase in Mbombela on Saturday.
A separate operation the previous day resulted in another R1 million worth of dagga being seized on the R39 near Mbombela. Police found 21 bags of dagga inside a Volkswagen Golf.
In the Western Cape, police intercepted a vehicle on the N1 in Beaufort West and recovered 57,000 Mandrax tablets and 5kg of cocaine.
The combined value of the drugs seized during that operation was estimated at R5.8 million.
Police also intercepted a Volvo truck in Kraaifontein carrying Mandrax valued at about R2 million. A Zimbabwean national was arrested in connection with that seizure.
Pretoria bust forms part of wider enforcement effort
The scale of the Erasmia discovery places Gauteng at the centre of the latest series of enforcement operations.
Unlike seizures involving drugs being transported in vehicles, the Pretoria operation involved an alleged manufacturing site.
Authorities said the suspected laboratory could produce hundreds of thousands of tablets daily, while officers also discovered preparations for the alleged manufacture of another drug.
Singo said the operation formed part of a wider national effort involving different law enforcement agencies.
The arrests and seizures remain subject to further investigation, and allegations against those arrested will have to be tested through the criminal justice process.
What This Means for Gauteng Residents
For Gauteng residents, the Erasmia bust highlights the presence of suspected large scale drug manufacturing operations within residential and smallholding areas of the province.
The operation also shows how information supplied to law enforcement can lead to investigations involving specialised police units.
In this case, authorities said a tip off about suspected drug manufacturing led officers to the Erasmia property.
The involvement of Crime Intelligence, the Hawks narcotics unit, K9 West Rand and the Special Task Force Pretoria also indicates that the operation required coordination between several specialised units.
Residents who suspect criminal activity in their communities should report information through official police channels rather than confronting suspected offenders themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the Pretoria Mandrax laboratory found?
The suspected laboratory was found on a smallholding in Erasmia, Pretoria, in Gauteng.
How much were the drugs seized in Pretoria worth?
The drugs recovered during the Erasmia operation were reported to be worth approximately R110 million.
How many Mandrax tablets could the laboratory allegedly produce?
According to information released following the operation, the facility was allegedly capable of producing about 800,000 Mandrax tablets per day.
How many people were arrested in the Erasmia operation?
Two Mozambican nationals were arrested for allegedly manufacturing illicit drugs.
How many drug related arrests were recorded nationwide?
SAPS said 3,385 suspects were arrested for alleged drug possession, while another 318 were arrested for alleged drug dealing during the reporting period.
Gauteng operation leads nationwide drug seizures
The suspected R110 million Mandrax operation uncovered in Erasmia was the largest seizure by value among the drug busts detailed during the latest nationwide crackdown.
While police also recovered millions of rand worth of dagga, cocaine and Mandrax in Mpumalanga and the Western Cape, the Pretoria investigation involved an alleged manufacturing operation capable of producing drugs on a significant scale.
Two suspects have been arrested, while police investigations into the Erasmia operation and the suspected second laboratory discovered at the property are continuing.
