Two Mexicans arrested as police uncover big meth lab on South African farm

What the report says

South African police say they have uncovered a large crystal methamphetamine laboratory on a farm near Musina in Limpopo province, close to the border with Zimbabwe, after what BBC Africa reported was a two-month investigation into suspicious activity. Two Mexican nationals were arrested at the site, along with two Zimbabweans and a Malawian national.

According to the report, officers raided the farm overnight and seized drugs and equipment valued at about 600 million rand, or roughly $37 million, as well as an undisclosed amount of cash. Police described the operation as a sophisticated, industrial-scale facility believed to have been used to manufacture illicit drugs for distribution. The five suspects were expected to appear in court on Monday on charges linked to the manufacture and possession of illegal drugs.

The discovery adds to a pattern of major meth lab busts on remote South African farms in recent years, several involving Mexican nationals. BBC Africa noted earlier cases in which Mexican suspects were arrested in similar raids in Limpopo and near Johannesburg. The report also placed the case in a wider regional context, citing expert concern that Mexican drug networks may be using parts of Africa not only as transit routes but also as production bases.