Two Mexicans have been arrested in South Africa after police uncovered a multi-million dollar crystal methamphetamine laboratory in the north of the country.
The lab was raided overnight at a farm near Musina, in Limpopo province, close to the border with Zimbabwe. Two Zimbabweans and a Malawian national were also detained, making five suspects in total.
The police said the raid was the culmination of a two‑month investigation into suspicions of illicit activity on the farm. In addition to the drugs and equipment valued at approximately 600m rand (about 37 million dollars), an undisclosed amount of cash was seized.
Over the last two years, South African authorities have dismantled several remote meth labs, many involving Mexican nationals. In May, an 11‑person arrest included four Mexicans after a $6 million lab was found north‑west of Johannesburg. September saw five Mexicans arrested at a farm in eastern South Africa where a $20 million lab was destroyed. In July 2024, another Limpopo farm operation led to a $108 million crack‑meth lab and arrests of three Mexicans.
The suspects will appear in court on Monday to face charges related to drug manufacturing and possession. Police described the operation as an “industrial‑scale” facility aimed at producing dangerous substances for export. South Africa is one of the world’s largest crystal meth consumer markets, and its porous borders make it an attractive transit and production point for illicit drugs.
International police agencies report that this trend is not confined to South Africa. Nigeria, Kenya, and Mozambique have also seen Mexican‑run labs dismantled. The U.S. Africa Command stated that since 2023, 14 Mexican‑operated laboratories were raided across the continent, indicating that Mexican cartels are increasingly using Africa as a production base, not just a trafficking hub.
