South African police have arrested five people following the discovery of a suspected large-scale crystal methamphetamine manufacturing operation on a farm in Limpopo Province.
The police said drugs and laboratory equipment with an estimated street value of more than $37 million were confiscated during an overnight raid, alongside an undisclosed amount of cash.
According to the authorities, the discovery uncovered an alleged sophisticated, industrial-scale facility believed to have been established to manufacture dangerous illicit substances for distribution.
The suspects, aged between 20 and 47, comprise two Mexican nationals, two Zimbabweans and a Malawian.
The raid comes after a series of drug busts in recent months involving Mexican nationals, raising concerns among authorities that Latin American drug cartels may be expanding their operations into Africa.
The Limpopo head of the Hawks, the police’s priority crime investigation unit, said the latest operation should serve as a warning to organised criminal networks involved in the illicit drug trade.
The five suspects are expected to appear before the Musina Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where they will face charges relating to the manufacture and possession of illicit drugs.
South Africa remains a major consumer of methamphetamine, while demand for the drug is also increasing in neighbouring countries, according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.
In a 2025 report, the organisation said drug laboratories in South Africa and Mozambique were evidence of the growing presence of Latin American cartels in Africa and their increasing cooperation with local criminal groups.
