Police Minister Bheki Cele has lauded the work of law enforcement agencies that brought down a major drug operation in Harding, KwaZulu-Natal, on Wednesday.
"Drugs and substance abuse [are] a serious problem and we will find these so-called factories and shut them one by one," said Cele following the drug bust.
Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi said two people were arrested after a team including the Hawks, Crime Intelligence and Port Shepstone's tactical response team and K9 unit searched a farm "where a huge clandestine drug manufacturing laboratory was found".
"We will continue with the strengthening of the multi-disciplinary approach in responding to crimes of this nature. We will intensify our campaign by working together with our sister departments and relevant stakeholders in the fight against drug and substance abuse," said Cele of the joint operation.
Mulaudzi said the value of the drugs was yet to be determined as investigations were ongoing.
"Various elements of the SAPS (South African Police Service) forensic unit are currently administering the crime scene where large quantities of narcotics that resemble Mandrax and paraphernalia are being processed."
The operation comes in the wake of months of collaborative investigations, Mulaudzi said.
"Further details regarding this operation will be made available at a later stage," he added.