This report from The Citizen, published on 19 July 2024.

Five foreign nationals are among seven people arrested in a large cannabis bust in the Magaliesberg, west of Johannesburg on Thursday, 18 July 2024.

Police made the bust on a small holding that was operating a hydroponic cannabis lab and confiscated R40 million worth of cannabis, cannabis products, chemicals and equipment during a mid-morning raid.

Among the foreigners were a Scotsman, a Russian, a Tanzanian and two Lesotho nationals who will all appear in the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 22 July 2024.

Police say the indoor cannabis farm was not their only alleged crime, as they were also allegedly found with a signal-jamming device, live rounds of ammunition, a gas pistol and an air rifle.

Police state that this was the third manufacturing operation discovered in Gauteng in the past few weeks.

“We will continue to hit drug manufacturers and dealers and destroy their laboratories in order to disrupt their production. I am very happy with our efforts to deal with the scourge of drugs in the province,” said Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni.

#