Are Mexican drug cartels 'franchising' industrial-scale meth production within South Africa?

702's John Perlman chats to Julian Rademeyer from the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime.

Listen below:

"The Mexican nationals are moving closer to their users. South Africa has one of the largest – if not THE largest – consumer markets for crystal meth, for tik, in the world. They've begun setting up these industrial-scale facilities on remote farms, rural communities. This is essentially the modus operandi that they followed in the past in Nigeria, then in Kenya and now today."

- Julian Rademeyer, Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime 

Six people, including five Mexican nationals, appeared in a Mpumalanga court recently after police uncovered a crystal meth lab valued at R350 million. 

RELATED: SAPS arrest five Mexicans in drugs lab raid

Rademeyer says this is the third such operation discovered in South Africa in recent years, a troubling sign that Mexican drug cartels are now "franchising" industrial-scale meth production within the country.

According to Rademeyer, South Africa has become one of the world’s largest consumer markets for methamphetamine. 

He explains that Mexican syndicates, known for their violence and global reach, are now moving production closer to their users by setting up labs in rural areas and training local chemists.

Rademeyer adds that these operations mirror the cartels’ previous expansions in Nigeria and Kenya.

Beyond drug access, he notes that the cartel presence raises fears of escalating violence. 

Rademeyer warns that disputes over drug territory are already fuelling gang warfare in provinces like the Western Cape and Gauteng. 

Scroll up to listen to the full conversation.