The police in Pretoria have seized scheduled medicine, including steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs, at a self-storage facility in Deerport. The drugs are estimated at the street value of the R15 million.

LINKED TO SYNDICATE

SAPS spokesperson Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the discovery was made by the national organised crime investigation narcotics unit. "This success follows a recent successful operation in which the team uncovered a drug syndicate, leading to the arrest of six suspects on 11 February 2025. Charges against two of the suspects have been provisionally withdrawn. Follow-up investigations into this syndicate's activities led the team to the identified storage facility," she said.

ILLICIT TRADE

Van Wyk said investigations indicated that the syndicate was operating an online platform to trade and distribute scheduled medicine, steroids, stimulants, and other illicit substances to consumers. Investigations, which included a forensic analysis, revealed that the products contained prohibited substances. "One of the products sold online as a "fat burner" contains dimethyl phenethylamine, an isomer of methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth or Ttik."

ON-GOING INVESTIGATIONS

During the arrests, the team seized a substantial quantity of counterfeit and illicit performance-enhancing drugs, steroids, scheduled medicine, and stimulants, as well as electronic devices. She added that the investigations are ongoing.