South Africa police probe suspected Sinaloa meth route to Australia

Reporting and context

Police in South Africa say Mexican chemists linked to the Sinaloa Cartel established an industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory in Swartruggens, part of a broader supply network investigators believe is aimed at Australia and New Zealand. UDGTV reported that the laboratory, dismantled in May, could produce as much as five tonnes of methamphetamine per month. Authorities are investigating whether a methamphetamine shipment seized this year in Australia came from the facility.

South African narcotics chief Devon Naicker said the laboratory's location, access to transport routes and the way a shipment was packaged were among the reasons investigators were examining a possible connection. Police said 13 people were arrested in the Swartruggens raid, including five Mexicans who were identified as chemists, two Mozambicans, one Zimbabwean and four South Africans. The source said the Mexican suspects arrived in March 2025 on three-month tourist visas.

UDGTV reported that Australian police have confirmed increased interest by Mexican cartels in Australia's illicit-drug market. In January, authorities arrested a 32-year-old woman at Sydney airport with 39 kilograms of methamphetamine powder in luggage from South Africa. A 2024 report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and police agencies in Australia and New Zealand identified methamphetamine as Australia's most-used illicit drug after cannabis.

The source also described related investigations in Nigeria, where four Mexicans were arrested this year during raids on methamphetamine laboratories. Nigeria's anti-drug agency said five of the 28 methamphetamine laboratories dismantled there since 2016 involved Mexicans. The cartel links, supply route and possible connection to the Australian seizure remain attributed to police, agencies and the source report.