[Image: Gencraft / AI]
The Hawks have swooped in on a “clandestine laboratory” in Paarl, where steroids were allegedly being cooked up and distributed under the radar.
Now, two suspects are set to face the music in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Western Cape Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Siyabulela Vukubi confirmed via SowetanLIVE that the bust went down on Wednesday, following a tip-off dating back to January 2023. The operation began when officials got wind of steroid-laden parcels being couriered from Franschhoek to local recipients.
“The parcels were intercepted and sent to the laboratory for testing of which the report came back positive,” said Vukubi.
Fast-forward to Wednesday—investigators had their eyes on a fully operational setup.
“A search and seizure operation was authorised and conducted,” Vukubi added.
Inside, officials from the Hawks, the South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau, and the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority uncovered a steroid-manufacturing operation straight out of a crime drama—pressing, sorting, and labelling machines, scales, ovens, powder, and what is believed to be Schedule 4 medication.
This would have been things like steroids, scheduled medicine, stimulants and other performance-enhancing drugs.
A 27-year-old suspect was nabbed on Wednesday, while a second suspect was taken in on Thursday.
And the value of the seized steroids? Still under wraps—but safe to say, it’s not pocket change.
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