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Six foreign nationals were also arrested during separate takedown operations in Bloemfontein.
Police have made another breakthrough in the fight against counterfeit goods and seized fake products valued at more than R19 million. Picture: Saps
Police have made another breakthrough in the fight against counterfeit goods and seized fake products, including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, high-end sneakers and Rolex’s valued at more than R19 million.
Six foreign nationals were also arrested during separate takedown operations in Bloemfontein on this week.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the operations were led by the National Counterfeit Goods Unit, with support from members of Public Order Policing (POP) in Bloemfontein, officials from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs division, brand protectors, and private security personnel.
Fake goods
Van Wyk said search and seizure warrants were executed in accordance with the Customs and Excise Act at targeted shops in the Bloemfontein CBD.
“Over the course of two days, more than 13 000 counterfeit items were confiscated that included clothing, shoes, bags, and jewellery. The majority of the seized items are imitations of high-end luxury brands.
“Six foreign nationals were arrested for contravening the Immigration Act. One of the suspects is also facing an additional charge for resisting arrest,” van Wyk said.
Illegal trade
Van Wyk added that Saps remains committed to disrupting and dismantling the illegal trade in counterfeit and illicit goods in order to protect consumers, safeguard legitimate businesses, and support the South African economy.
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Durban harbour
Earlier this month, authorities confirmed the contents of a shipping container at Durban harbour were loaded with counterfeit brands.
Port inspectors executed a search warrant at the Roseburg container depot following a two-month investigation.
No arrests have been made yet, but the investigation is still ongoing.
Luxury fake goods
Police first intercepted the container in April, after which samples were taken for analysis by representatives of the brand.
The items in the container ranged from high-end clothing brands to electronics and even toothpaste, with a total value of just over R13 million.
The brands in the container included Adidas, Nike, Samsung, Steve Madden, Colgate, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and more.
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