Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo
05 October 2023
The Hawks Secunda-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation, with the assistance of the Pretoria Forensic Laboratory, followed information regarding a clandestine laboratory at residential premises in Secunda.
The team confirmed the information, and a search and seizure warrant was authorized and executed on the same day.
During the search and seizure operation, manufacturing equipment and chemicals were seized for further investigation.
The following was seized: four batteries (size of a normal car battery), two cylinders (50 liters and 25 liters), pipes, wire, 2x bags of dagga weighing over 100kg, dry dagga, hydroponic dagga, 8 x boxes of unused syringes (3 ml), 4 x boxes of unused syringes (10 ml), about 20 loose syringes containing an oily liquid substance, about 30 loose syringes with needles containing an oily liquid substance, about 5x 200g bottles containing black substance not covered, 2 bags of 500 cotton wool balls, a small hand silver weighing scale, two hand grinders (purple and green), two dagga bags, 9 x 5 liters of ethyl, 5 liters of camphor powder, 1.5 liters of diphenyl oxide, 125 g of activated charcoal, 57 unused viper cartridges, one unused viper with a white charger in a box, 2 cooler boxes (white 50 liters and a blue 25 liters), clear packing plastic 2,5 x 250 size, and several other items used for distribution.
During the preliminary investigation, it was established that the dagga was used to manufacture cannabis oil.
The value of the seized items will be determined once the investigation is complete.
The accused is expected to appear before the Secunda District Court on Thursday, 5 October 2023. Investigation continues.
