‘LOST GOATS’ DRUG LAB ACCUSED APPEARS IN COURT AS BIZARRE NORTH WEST CASE DEEPENS
A search for lost goats that reportedly led police to a suspected CAT drug laboratory in North West has now reached the courts, with the man arrested during the operation appearing before a magistrate.
BRITS, NORTH WEST, 5 September 2026 — A man arrested following the extraordinary discovery of a suspected clandestine drug laboratory in Klipvoorstad, North West, has appeared in the Brits Magistrate’s Court.
The accused has been identified as 62-year-old Derick Butinyana Mosito.
Mosito appeared on a charge of dealing in drugs. The matter was postponed to 10 September 2026 for a formal bail application, and he remains in custody.
Lost Goats Lead to Suspected CAT Laboratory
The investigation began under unusual circumstances.
A search for lost goats reportedly led to the property in Klipvoorstad, where police subsequently uncovered what they believe was a clandestine laboratory manufacturing the drug commonly known as CAT.
North West Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Arthur Peter Adams confirmed the discovery.
According to police, four men allegedly fled when officers approached the property.
Officers pursued the men and arrested one suspect, identified at the time as the tenant of the property. Three others escaped into an area police said they could not safely penetrate.
‘Very Deep Pockets’
The sophistication of the equipment discovered at the property also attracted the attention of investigators.
Adams said expensive and apparently recently purchased equipment found at the premises suggested that whoever was financing the suspected operation had significant financial resources.
He described the people allegedly behind the operation as having “very deep pockets.”
Forensic experts and the Hawks were called to process the scene as police began investigating the suspected laboratory and searching for the three men who escaped.
Adams also issued a warning to the outstanding suspects:
“They can run, but they can never hide.”
Accused Remains Behind Bars
The case has now moved from the dramatic discovery in Klipvoorstad to the courtroom.
Mosito remains in custody pending his formal bail application scheduled for 10 September 2026.
Investigations are continuing, including efforts to identify and locate other people who may allegedly be connected to the suspected operation.
The unusual chain of events that began with a search for missing livestock has turned into a significant police investigation involving forensic specialists and the Hawks.
Follow MDNtv for the latest developments in this case.
