Among those arrested were Mozambique and South African nationals.
Police minister Senzo Mchunu has promised to hunt down those who are running drug dens, saying they will leave no criminal untouched.
Mchunu was visiting labs in Standerton, Mpumalanga, on Sunday. There, he confirmed that eight suspects are in custody, with some set to appear in court on 25 April.
Among those arrested were Mozambique and South African nationals.
R40 million worth of drugs were found, and R20 million worth of items were confiscated, as were luxury vehicles and a tablet-pressing machine the minister estimated was “worth millions”.
Mchunu said that the fight against drugs would be intensified and issued a warning to those not yet arrested.
“There are people intent on committing drug crimes and have invited us [to seek them out]. We will honour that invitation.
“We are going to come for them and leave no one. Those we haven’t arrested must know we are coming for them and will be at their doorstep.”
Is your neighbour a drug dealer?
Mchunu said that at one drug lab visit neighbours had said they were completely unaware of what was happening at the residence.
He said this must change.
“We need to be more alert and not just leave everything to law enforcement agencies.
“I am interested in finding out what is on the lease [agreement of these properties]. Who signed it, and what did they say they wanted to do with the place they were renting? Was there a decoy?”
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Gauteng Premier vows war on drugs
The war on drugs is being implemented across the country, with dens found in several provinces in recent years.
In his State of the Province address in February, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi identified drug abuse as one of the 13 problems facing Gauteng.
“We have a serious drug problem in our province. This is evident by the number of people who continue to reach out to us for support through our dedicated hotline. Almost 33 000 people have called this government for help since October 2022.”
He promised to address the crisis through several interventions, including refurbishing and repurposing existing rehabilitation facilities.
“This is a battle we refuse to lose. Through our Substance Abuse Harm Reduction Strategy, we are tackling drug abuse head-on, ensuring young people have a future free from addiction.”
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