Gauteng police have warned residents to think twice before buying bargain products after they seized counterfeit and illicit goods worth more than R500,000 during a three-day crackdown.
Police, working alongside brand protection specialists and officials from the department of agriculture, confiscated fake consumables, counterfeit cell phone accessories, illicit pesticides, fake honey and illicit liquor.
The operation, carried out between June 23 and 25, targeted businesses in Cleveland and Langlaagte in Johannesburg, as well as Germiston in Ekurhuleni.
Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the biggest haul was made in Langlaagte, where counterfeit goods worth R156,666 were seized, along with illicit honey and pesticides valued at R194,935.
In Germiston, authorities confiscated counterfeit consumables, cell phone accessories, illicit pesticides and illicit liquor with an estimated value of R162,340. Fourteen shops were slapped with non-compliance notices, while one business was issued with a prohibition of sale notice.
Consumers must remain vigilant and report any suspected counterfeit, contraband or illicit goods to the nearest police station
— Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, Gauteng police spokesperson
An earlier operation in Cleveland resulted in the seizure of counterfeit consumables and illicit pesticides worth about R8,600.
The sale and distribution of counterfeit products may pose serious health risks to consumers, she said.
“Consumers must remain vigilant and report any suspected counterfeit, contraband or illicit goods to the nearest police station.”
All criminal activities may be reported on the Crime Stop Line at 08600-10111. Anonymous tip-offs can also be given on MySaps app which can be downloaded on any smartphone. Information received will be treated with strictest confidence, said Nevhuhulwi.
Suspects ‘using thinners to remove expiry dates’
Johannesburg metro police recently uncovered a counterfeit packaging operation in the Joburg CBD, where expired dairy products are allegedly being repackaged and relabelled with fake expiry dates before being sold to the public.
The discovery was made when officers, who were conducting routine inspections, noticed individuals selling goods from informal trolleys.
According to Johannesburg metro police department (JMPD) spokesperson Xolani Fihla, police became suspicious when they approached the hawkers to check their immigration status and compliance with city bylaws, and the hawkers fled.
He said police followed them to a building on the corner of Edith Cavell and Plein streets, where they discovered an illegal packaging operation.
Inside the premises, officers found large quantities of expired perishable products, including juices and yoghurts.
“Suspects were allegedly using chemical thinners to remove original expiry dates and replace them with fraudulent labels showing later expiry dates,” Fihla said.
Sowetan
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