IN a significant breakthrough in the fight against organised crime, South Africa’s elite crime-fighting unit, the Hawks, have uncovered a third clandestine drug laboratory hidden underground on Rooikopen farm near Standerton. This discovery comes just over a month after two other illegal drug labs and a chemical warehouse were seized in the same area.
On 14 May 2025, the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team, based in Secunda, acted swiftly on a tip-off received before a scheduled cleaning operation at the previously raided sites. The team identified a secret underground entrance beneath a container on Rooikopen farm. Inside, they found sophisticated machinery believed to be used in the illegal manufacture of drugs, along with drums and plastic containers filled with substances now undergoing forensic analysis.
“These operations show the lengths to which criminal syndicates will go to conceal their illicit activities,” said Major General Nico Gerber, Mpumalanga Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks). “The Hawks will leave no stone unturned in dismantling these criminal enterprises and the networks that support them.”
The earlier raids in April 2025 uncovered two clandestine laboratories on Mahonie Street and Rooikopen farm, as well as a warehouse stocked with chemicals linked to drug production. The sites remained active crime scenes until a cleaning company was appointed with the assistance of the Hawks and Standerton SAPS to safely clear the areas.
Following these operations, eight suspects-two South African nationals and six Mozambican nationals-were arrested and remain in custody. In addition, the Hawks seized eleven vehicles, including high-performance luxury cars, and millions of rands in cash believed to be proceeds of crime.
The Hawks’ relentless efforts are part of a broader campaign to combat the scourge of drug manufacturing and trafficking in South Africa, which has seen a rise in sophisticated underground labs hidden in rural areas. These busts not only disrupt the supply of illegal drugs but also strike a blow against organised crime syndicates that fuel violence and corruption across the continent.
As the forensic analysis continues, the Hawks have reaffirmed their commitment to protecting communities and dismantling criminal networks that threaten South Africa’s security and stability.
