‘Magic mushrooms’ processing lab raided in KZN

Police in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday raided a psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms, processing lab with equipment to grow and process the drugs which would allegedly be sold.

The spokesperson of the police in the province, Brigadier Jay Naicker, said the premises was identified following an intelligence-driven operation by a multi-disciplinary police team comprising of various units within the SAPS who acted on intelligence with regards to a drug lab in the Assegai area in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

Naicker said the aim of the operation was to root-out the illegal trade in drugs in the province.

Naicker said: “All processed and unprocessed psilocybin product, as well as equipment, was seized by police. A 38-year-old man was placed under arrest for cultivating and processing the magic mushrooms on a large scale. The total value of the magic mushrooms seized is estimated at R892,000. The suspect will be appearing at the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court today.”

Naicker added that drug abuse had a negative impact on young people as it led to a lot of them resorting to criminal activities to support their addiction.

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula, lauded the police in the province for the operation.

“We would like to thank our communities for their participation in the fight against drug dealers which has led to many major drug busts since the launch of Festive Season Operation in the province. We also wish to applaud our Rapid Response Teams who are strategically placed to respond to crimes in progress as well as proactive intelligence during our Festive Season Operations,” he said.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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