South African police on Saturday arrested four suspects, including two Mexicans, as it busted an industrial-scale
meth manufacturing
laboratory built on a farm in Groblersdal.
The laboratory was located in the
Limpopo province
of South Africa.
According to the news agency Reuters, chemicals used in drug manufacturing such as acetone and crystal meth were also found in large quantities, estimated to be around worth 2 billion rand ($109.5 million).
The raid was conducted by an elite police unit called "Hawks".
Unit’s national spokesperson, Katlego Mogale said, "What makes this different from other (seizures) is the involvement of Mexican citizens. It means that our task has just become very difficult".
However, she clarified that it is still unclear whether the drugs were being manufactured to be distributed inside the country or elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the arrested suspects have been charged with manufacturing, dealing and possession of
illicit drugs
. All of them will be brought before the court on Monday to face trial, the police said.
According to the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC), South Africa is one of the major
drug transit countries
due to its geography and
international trade links
. The country also has a growing market for
synthetic drugs
.
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