JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – South Africa’s Border Management Authority has intercepted a consignment of methaqualone worth nearly R1 billion at the Beitbridge border post.
The consignment travelled through Zimbabwe accompanied by Malawian nationals, home affairs minister Leon Schreiber said, describing the seizure as “likely the single biggest breakthrough against the drug trade in South African history.”
The operation was coordinated through the BMA’s National Targeting Centre, which identified a truck travelling through Zimbabwe toward Beitbridge. Officers were already in position when the vehicle arrived.
The truck was put through “the sophisticated truck scanner on site,” which detected a hidden compartment, Schreiber said.
BMA officers spent eight hours dismantling the vehicle before uncovering a substance confirmed to be methaqualone – also known as ABBA – “commonly used in the manufacture of mandrax.”
A total of 713,000 grams of the substance was seized, with an estimated value of R998.2 million (about $60.4 million).
The Hawks and K9 units were called to the scene. Three Malawian nationals were arrested and taken to Musina Police Station, where the Hawks will conduct further investigations.
Schreiber said the bust demonstrated “that the combination of intelligence-led investigations, digital transformation, and the commitment of the BMA is systematically rebuilding the rule of law at our borders.”
