State to seize 'drug farm'

2005-12-22 12:16

Sizwe samaYende

Cape Town - An Mpumalanga farm, which was used as a manufacturing plant for the highly addictive "tik" drug, will be confiscated by the state.

The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) and the police have already placed a portion of the farm Farrenfontein 349 near Machadodorp under curatorship after obtaining such an order from the Pretoria High Court on Thursday.

NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said on Thursday that the farm belongs to Swazi citizen Harold Mamba.

Mamba is presently being tried for contravening the Drug and Drug Trafficking Act of 1992 following his arrest on October 6 last year in Johannesburg.

He was in South Africa illegally.

Nkosi said police are still on the trail of Mamba's alleged accomplices - Peiyang Xhiong and Wing Sun Chun - who are Chinese citizens.

"The NPA will, in the next 90 days, apply to the [Pretoria High Court] to have the farm confiscated by the State on the grounds that it was an instrument in the commission of a crime," Nkosi said.

Nkosi said that the NPA was first tipped off about the farm in September 2004.

Police however found no one during their search, but did find Chinese food, newspapers and clothes.

They also found large amounts of chemicals, various pots, containers, drying racks, gas burners, gloves and facemasks.

Nkosi said there was sufficient ephedrine hydrochloride, synthesized product and "tik" crystals on the farm premises to produce approximately 45 kg of "tik" with a street value of more than R12m.

"Tik" is a common name for the drug methamphetamine. The drug induces psychotic symptoms such as hallucinating and violence in its users.

It's becoming popular amongst school pupils especially in the Cape, and recent studies have shown that its use is increasing and it's becoming the preferred drug by gangsters.

- African Eye