South African police raided an expansive crystal methamphetamine laboratory on a remote farm near Musina in the Limpopo province, seizing drugs worth around 600 million rand (about US$37 million). Two Mexican nationals were among the five arrested, alongside a Zimbabwean and a Malawian, according to the South African Police Service.
The operation followed a two‑month investigation triggered by suspicious activities observed on the farm. In addition to the drugs and production equipment, authorities recovered an undisclosed amount of cash.
This raid is part of a growing trend of industrial‑scale meth labs being uncovered on African farms, many linked to Mexican drug cartels. In May this year, police dismantled a $6 million lab north‑west of Johannesburg, involving four Mexicans, while in September last year a $20 million operation was shut down in eastern South Africa. Earlier in July 2024, a $108 million meth lab was discovered in Limpopo, again with Mexican involvement.
The suspects are scheduled to appear in court next Monday on charges related to the manufacture and possession of large volumes of illicit drugs. The South African authorities described the find as “an alleged sophisticated, industrial‑scale operation believed to have been established for manufacture of dangerous illicit substances destined for distribution.”
South Africa is noted as one of the largest crystal meth consumers worldwide, with its porous borders making it a key transit point for narcotics. Similar meth labs have also been discovered in North‑East Africa, as recent US‑Africa Command data shows eleven Mexican‑operated labs raided across Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and South Africa since 2023.
