On Tuesday last week Durban club owner Gregory Lyris, 45, and Bulgarian national Valari Nikolov, 41 were arrested with ecstasy tablets and early on Wednesday, police raided a Westville home and arrested the homeowner, Gareth John Brissett 40 and two other men, Sakhile Dlamini, 28 years of age John Mapumulu, 32 years of age for possession of precursor chemicals used to manufacture drugs.
Late yesterday afternoon after follow-up investigations the SAPS team uncovered a micro warehouse being used for what appears to be a clandestine drug laboratory with multiple machines, drums of precursor chemicals and an undisclosed amount of cash.
The team further established that the warehouse was being leased by one of the five accused that were arrested last Week. Further investigations are underway primarily to determine to what extent all of these accused may be linked with this warehouse.
The precursor chemicals found in the warehouse today is similar to the ones found in the Westville house. These chemicals too can also be used for manufacture of ecstasy tablets.
The five men are still in police custody and they are expected to make their second appearance in the Middleburg and Pinetown regional courts this Thursday and Friday respectively.
Enquiries: Lieutenant General Solomon – 082 781 8863