Komatipoort – A 40-year-old driver of a white VW minibus was nabbed at the Lebombo Border Post in Komatipoort while trying to smuggle counterfeit goods worth an estimated R800 000 into South Africa.
The driver, who was coming from Mozambique, was intercepted on Friday by law enforcers.
Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson, Captain Dineo Sekgotodi, said the seized goods included fake branded sneakers, cosmetics, and clothing.
She said the driver was cornered by members of the South African Defence Force, South African Police Services as well as South African Revenue Services.
Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said the counterfeit goods and the minibus taxi were seized.
The suspect was arrested and charged with contravening the provisions of the Customs and Excise Act and the Counterfeit Goods Act.
He will appear in the Komatipoort Magistrate’s Court, Mpumalanga, on Monday, (24 June 2024).
In a similar incident at Lebombo Border Post on the same day, a 34-year-old suspect was also arrested for trying to smuggle into South Africa counterfeit goods, including fake branded sneakers and clothes, worth an estimated half a million rand.
Commenting on the counterfeit busts, Mpumalanga Hawks head Major General Nicholas Gerber said: “The Hawks together with our counterparts, are determined to continue preventing illegal activities from happening in our province”.
Meanwhile, national police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk on Friday, (21 June 2024), said counterfeit goods worth millions of rand were seized during an integrated takedown operation in the Johannesburg CBD.
“This week the National Counterfeit Goods Unit in collaboration with its crime-fighting partners seized counterfeit goods worth R15.5 million,” Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk said.
The raid at the shopping mall on the corner of Rahima Moosa and Von Wielligh Streets involved police in collaboration with members of Gauteng Traffic, officials from the South African Revenue Services, Johannesburg Emergency Management Services, Brand Protectors, Crime Prevention Wardens, and private security companies.
Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk said the law enforcers acted on a “search and seizure” warrant.
“Intelligence also led the team to hidden storage facilities at the shopping mall whereby special equipment was utilised to gain entry,” Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk said.
“The operation resulted in the seizure of over 18 000 counterfeit items that included shoes, sports apparel, handbags, caps and perfumes.”
Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk said on 13 June 2024 the team seized counterfeit goods worth R6.6 million.
A week earlier, on 7 June 2024, law enforcers seized counterfeit goods worth R5.8 million during similar takedown operations in the Johannesburg CBD.
“This brings the total value of counterfeit goods seized for the past three weeks to nearly R28 million,” Lieutenant Colonel Van Wyk said.
