Middelburg High Court freezes R178.6m in Standerton drug syndicate assets

The Middelburg High Court has granted a R178.6m asset preservation order against a clandestine Mandrax manufacturing network operating in Standerton.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa confirmed the order was granted on Monday, September 28, under Section 38 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA), following a multi-agency investigation led by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit.

Nyuswa said the investigation focused on three interconnected locations across Standerton that were raided in April 2025:

Nyuswa said the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of methaqualone and its precursor chemical, ortho-toluidine, at Factory Street and the farm location.

At the Flora Park residence, forensic experts verified that 544.43kg of seized finished product contained methaqualone. The street value of the recovered drugs alone is estimated at R178.6m.

Law enforcement officers also recovered R3.1m in cash hidden inside the boot of a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG parked at the Flora Park property. She said the funds have since been deposited into a SAPS suspense account.

ALSO READ: Court puts urgent bid to unlock late former deputy president Mabuza’s estate on hold

The court order safeguards the following assets pending final forfeiture proceedings:

Nyuswa emphasised that a preservation order is an interim civil remedy designed to lock down instrumentalities and proceeds of crime.

“It does not signify a formal criminal finding of guilt,” she said. “Chapter 6 forfeiture proceedings under POCA are civil matters evaluated on a balance of probabilities, independent of criminal trial outcomes.”

She said two criminal court matters linked to the syndicate remain pending at the Standerton Regional Court. Police confirmed that one accused person absconded after posting a R100 000 bail bond, which has since been forfeited to the state, while another accused has died.

Mpumalanga News has requested the names of the accused, the status of the court cases, and an update on the absconded suspect, which will be published once available.

Mpumalanga News 2 minutes read Facebook X LinkedIn Tumblr Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Share via Email Print Support local journalism Add The Citizen as a preferred source to see more from Mpumalanga News in Google News and Top Stories.