By Staff Reporter
news@alexreporter.co.za
Customs officers of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) have seized a substance that is used to manufacture the drug Mandrax
This after inspecting a truck that was entering South Africa from Mozambique.
Customs Inspectors from Lebombo Customs Detector Dog Unit were conducting random searches of cargo at the imports channel at Lebombo Border Post when they stopped a yellow truck with two trailers en route to South Africa.
The officers engaged the driver, a Zimbabwean citizen, to perform a manual inspection to verify the declared goods, which were declared as boxes of hair extensions.
A Customs officer requested the declaration documents from the driver which were handed over to the officer.
The seal numbers were verified and found to be correct, and the inspector continued with his search of the rest of the vehicle. A toolbox was opened, and 9 bags weighing 22kg of an unknown powder was found.
The powder was tested on site by using the Generic and Cocaine test kit and found to be positive as a narcotics substance.
The goods and the vehicle were handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further investigation. The SAPS Forensic Laboratory later confirmed that the substance was N-Acetylanthralinic Acid which is the precursor in the synthesis of Methaqualone (Mandrax) manufacturing.
The estimated value of the substance is approximately R5-million.
“However, once this power is used to manufacture Mandrax tablets, the drug would have a hugely higher value.
“The truck driver fled the scene during the inspection and the substance, and the vehicle were handed over to the SAPS for further investigation.
“The vehicle was detained in the SARS State Warehouse,” said a source close to the situation.