Two Mexican Meth Cooks Arrested at a Drug Lab in South Africa

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

South African police arrested two Mexican citizens at a methamphetamine lab along with large amount of precursor chemicals on a farm in Groblersdal, South Africa yesterday, in an example of foreign criminal groups contracting Mexican lab operators for their expertise in drug production.

In total, four were arrested, including two Mexican citizens, and the owner of the farm. Police reported that precursor chemicals and finished product with a value of over 100,000,000 USD were seized. The suspects will appear in court on 22 July 2024 to face charges of manufacturing, dealing and possession of illicit drugs. 

It is so far unknown which state the suspects are from, a key piece of information which may point to their affiliation with a particular criminal group.

While this is the tenth drug lab bust in the nation this year, the presence of Mexican cooks makes it notable and concerning to local authorities. “It means that our task has just become very difficult,” the spokeswoman of the involved South African police unit told Reuters. This is not the first time that Mexican cooks have been detected at clandestine labs abroad.

In 2016, four Mexican citizens were arrested for running a meth "super lab" in Nigeria. According to local authorities, “Nigerians invited the Mexicans in to leverage their expertise in these industrial-scale, high-yield productions.” Police noted that they were using an advanced production method which avoided the need to use ephedrine, a common precursor chemical.

Sources: Al Jazeera, SA Police Service Twitter, SA Police Press Release, InSight Crime 2016