Booze and cigarettes seized in Tongaat factory raid, 16 foreigners arrested

Sixteen foreign nationals were arrested at a Tongaat factory last weekend for operating in defiance of lockdown regulations.

Police raided the Golden Dragon shoe factory in Walter Reid Road, Tongaat Industrial Park, following a tip off.

They discovered workers living on the premises.

Police questioned two foreign nationals, said to be Chinese, leaving the factory, who claimed to have been fetching equipment.

When they tried to run away they were arrested, said provincial Saps spokesperson, Brigadier Vish Naidoo.

Police discovered 14 more foreign nationals who were unable to explain why over 90 sealed bottles of beer, more than 90 sealed cans of beer and over 100 cartons of cigarettes were found.

They later claimed these were owned by their employer.

On searching the factory, police found several unmade beds and cell phone charges still plugged into wall sockets.

Police also found a fully stocked kitchen.

“All were placed under arrest in contravention of the Disaster Management Act, Immigration Act as well as the first three foreigners who were charged for defeating the ends of justice. A hard-drive with camera footage was seized,” said Naidoo.

The footage will be examined to determine whether the factory had been operational.

“All suspects are currently detained. The Department of Home Affairs Immigration Services were summoned to verify if the suspects were legally in the country as only nine passports were found and their work permits looked questionable.”

The foreigners were taken to a local clinic to be tested for coronavirus.

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