Supplied
Five people, including three Mexican nationals, appeared in court in Groblersdal on Friday following their arrest at a drug lab on a farm near the town.
The National Prosecuting Authority said their bail hearing was postponed to 6 August for closing arguments.
The five, who face various serious charges, are Gonzalez Jorge Partida (53), Gutierrez Lopez Alejandro (43), Roelof Botha (57), Khumalo Melvin (34), and Rodriguez Ruban Vidan (44).
NPA spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said the charges against them include manufacturing and dealing in drugs, contravening the Illegal Immigration Act, and money laundering.
She said while Botha and Khumalo are applying for bail, the three Mexican nationals have abandoned their bail applications.
The five were arrested on 19 July at a farm owned by Botha and where police, acting on a tip-off found drugs “with an estimated street value of R1 billion” and “vast quantities of chemicals” used for drug manufacturing along with a large clandestine laboratory.
Police also seized 408.95 kg of acetone and methamphetamine (crystal meth).
