SAPS Cracks Down on Counterfeit Luxury Goods Seizing R60m Fake Goods

GAUTENG – #Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime, SAPS, Department of Home Affairs, Customs, and SARS brought the Johannesburg CBD to a standstill on Tuesday morning when they confiscated about R60 million worth of protected brands on counterfeit goods.

The authorities searched 120 shops at Quebec Building in town where they confiscated clothes, bags, cosmetics, accessories, and jewellery of the protected brand names including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Dolce and Gabbana, Adiddas, Nike, Puma, Soviet, Converse, and Guess with an estimated value of R60 million.

In a statement, SAPS said a man was arrested for trying to bribe the authorities while they were searching the shops and seven were arrested for not having legal documents required to be in the Republic.

The operation was targeted to achieve successes on trading in counterfeit goods, tax evasion, money laundering, and human trafficking.

The National Head of Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Lieutenant General Mthandazo Ntlemeza said: “We warn those engaged in distribution of counterfeit goods that we will seize and bring them to book. This campaign serves to ensure that the jobs of ordinary South Africans in the textile and retail industry are protected.”