Zimbabwean woman held in SA for drug ingredients

Two women who tried to enter South Africa allegedly carrying ingredients for drug manufacturing are expected to appear in the Musina Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, Limpopo police said.

The Zimbabwean and Lesotho nationals, aged 39 and 23 respectively, were arrested at the Beitbridge border post on Sunday night as they were walking into the country from Zimbabwe, Colonel Ronel Otto said.

"They were stopped and searched ...and it was determined that the women were carrying ephedrine, one of the main substances of heroin."

Otto said the women were carrying more than 18kg of the substance between them.

Police valued it at R8 million.

"Investigations to determine where the women were coming from and where they were heading to, are still being investigated," she said.