Former Nigel church becomes drug lab
A former church turned out to be a multi-million rand drug manufacturing laboratory.
Members from Nigel Metro Police and the Rural Safety Unit (Sector 6) stumbled across the laboratory after a fire erupted at the old Grace Church on Hallgate smallholdings on July 21. The discovery was made after the fire had been extinguished.
A strong chemical odor prompted further investigation into the premises where several drums, bags and buckets full of chemicals and acids were found. There were also a number of cookers and boilers that are used in the manufacturing of drugs. Members from SAPS Nigel and the police’s forensic team soon joined the investigation. Three suspects were arrested on the scene and charged with the manufacturing and dealing of drugs.
Lt Col Katlego Mogale from SAPS Provincial communications office told the media that the estimated value of the finding is around R30m. She added that the fire was presumably caused by an electrical fault, which spread to containers filled with chemicals outside the building.
Elsewhere in the old church, hundreds of bags containing the processed product were also found stored and ready to be distributed.
The discovery has sparked a nationwide police reaction and police are still working to establish the exact value of their finding and whether the lab forms part of a bigger syndicate.
“This discovery must be applauded as a major step in the fight against drugs in Nigel. The police are in process of ascertaining whether this lab forms part of a bigger syndicate. The owner of the premises is also under investigation,” Lt Col Mogale said.
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