South African police declare war on illegal drug labs

South African police raided an illegal drugs lab in Kelvin, Sandton and arrested four suspects for operating the illegal drug lab.
The lab had drugs in storage worth R3 Million in street value.

The arrests followed the investigation by the crime intelligence unit. The raid at house number 22 on West Way Road.

Gauteng MEC for community safety Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane lead the inspection of the drug lab in the house.

There has been an noted raise in illegal drug labs in South Africa in the recent months speaking to Report Focus News police commissioner Commissioner Khehla Sithole said “This is an ongoing war against drugs. More illegal labs are expected to be busted.”

A few days ago a 55-year-old qualified pharmacist, his 52-year-old life partner and their 38-year-old employee were arrested for the illegal manufacturing and distribution of steroid tablets and intravenous drugs found in the couple’s farm house in Pretoria on Wednesday, 20 March 2019.
The national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole sang his detectives’ praises, lauding them for discovering this drug laboratory and subsequently arresting the suspects. The trio has been charged for manufacturing a schedule 6 drug.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo, who was at the scene on Thursday, 21 March 2019, said the conditions under which the drugs were manufactured posed a huge health risk for those who were manufacturing, and those who were consuming said products.

“An array of steroids in the form of tablets for oral intake and liquid intended to be consumed intravenously was being manufactured on this farm.

“The conditions under which the steroids were being manufactured was uncontrolled, unconducive and could potentially, if not already, be a health risk to those in the area of the operation as well as those consuming the products.”

The bust resulted in the team confiscating a large number of finished products as well as chemicals, machines including a tablet presser, a mixer, a tablet-coating machine, and two pistols, one of which is unlicensed and the other loaded with several rounds of ammunition. Police said the raid led to another individual believed to be the buyer of these products.

“It became evident from documents seized on the premises that one of the persons to whom these drugs were being supplied was arrested in 2015 and in 2017 he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment plus a fine of R900,000, of which the 15 years was suspended for five years. Police are currently searching for this individual.”
Police are in search of a fourth suspect.