SA’s inglorious reputation as drugs hub

South Africa has earned an infamous reputation as a transhipment centre for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right, according to the CIA's Factbook – carried on Mike Poverello’s blog. According to the CIA, cocaine and heroin consumptionare on the rise and it’s the world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various East African countries. It’s also named as an attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organised criminal and narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African economy.