Drug manufacturing laboratory shut down

A heroin manufacturing laboratory operating in Durban North was shut down during a joint raid on Thursday (25/02/2016) afternoon, with that saw R17-million worth of drugs confiscated.

Police spokesman Lieutenant Robert Netshiunda said that the eight men, five of them Zimbabwean, were caught red-handed while manufacturing heroine.

“During the search at the makeshift laboratory the Hawks members found 26kg of heroin powder and 14kg of uncut heroin with an estimated street value of R17-million.

R1-million worth of heroin-producing equipment was also found and seized. The drugs were hidden in different compartments inside the house,” Netshiunda said.

“The men had been on the Hawks’ have been on the suspect’s radar for a few weeks after they received tip-offs concerning the illegal activities at the premises.

“The outstanding work by Crime Intelligence in gathering concrete evidence led to the arrest of the suspects. The search for several others is under way and more arrests are imminent,” Netshiunda said.

The eight suspects, aged between 25 and 45, will appear before the Kwadukuza Magistrate’s Court on Friday (26/02/2016).