A 30-year-old woman, Julian Yan, and a 55-year-old man, Muhe Lin, appeared before the Middelburg Serious Commercial Crime Court yesterday (Wednesday) on three counts of Contravention of the Customs and Excise Act.

The two Chinese nationals were arrested by the Hawks Middelburg-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in March 2023, after they were found selling counterfeit liquor at a liquor store in Ermelo.

The counterfeit liquor was worth R600 000.

They could not produce a South African proof of purchase nor import documents for the said liquor.

According to the Mpumalanga Provincial Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, the charges against Lin were withdrawn on yesterday.

Yan was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment or told to pay a fine of R100 000.

Half of her sentence was suspended for three years on condition that she is not convicted of a similar offence.

The community is urged to report any liquor outlets that might be selling counterfeit liquor, as it poses a serious health hazard.

“The Hawks will always react to information provided by community members, which falls within our scope of investigation. It is our duty to serve and protect the community,” said the Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Nico Gerber.