The Scorpions have been given permission to confiscate a farm in Mpumalanga where the drug tik-tik, or ice, was manufactured, the National Prosecution Authority said on Friday.
Spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said the Pretoria High Court gave the order on Thursday. The farm had already been placed under curatorship in terms of an order of the Pretoria High Court in December last year, he said.
A raid on the farm, outside Machadodorp, in 2004 netted enough ingredients to produce tik-tik worth an estimated R11,3-million on the street and 270g of the finished product with an estimated street value of R67 500.
Harold Mamba, the Swazi citizen who owned the farm, is on trial for alleged drug trafficking.
”A certain Peiyang Xhiong and a certain Wing Sun Chun were also linked to the charges of contravening the Drugs Act and warrants for their arrests were issued,” said Nkosi. ”Peiyang apparently left the country, while Wing’s whereabouts were unknown.”
The day after the raid, police searched Mamba’s car in his presence and found a police profile of Wing.
”The presence of this profile suggested that Mamba had access to police files and information and may also explain why the farm was deserted when the police came to search it.” — Sapa