According to police spokesperson Colonel Adèle Myburgh, the Hartbeespoort police’s Crime Prevention Unit received information about illegal activities on a farm in Skeerpoort.
The Crime Prevention Unit, accompanied by the Hartbeespoort K9 Unit and Brits Crime Intelligence team, pounced on the farm at around 07:00 on Tuesday, where they found three women and a man on the premises of what appeared to be a drug laboratory.
The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Arthur Peter Adams, who was at the scene, said police seized 24 000 Mandrax tablets ready for distribution, a large quantity of raw material used in the manufacturing of drugs, a commercial-grade tablet press and different dies for a variety of tablets.
Police also found three handguns and a rifle.
The three women, aged 23 and 29, and a Zimbabwean male (39) were arrested for manufacturing and dealing in drugs, as well as possession of unlicensed firearms.
“The setup at the premises suggests that the drugs manufactured here had been distributed far and wide. Looking at the lease agreement of the property, it is suspected that the drug manufacturing activities might have been going on for the past two years,” Adams said.
This follows shortly after another major drug laboratory bust near Brits in September.
“It is a matter of concern for police in North West that operations like these are uncovered on a regular basis. The police remain committed to dismantling organised crime syndicates involved in the manufacturing and distribution of drugs,” he said.
Police investigations into the matter and to determine the value of the seized drugs are continuing.
