Cops seized R5 million worth fake goods and arrested three suspects.
Image: SAPS
Police have dealt a significant blow to the counterfeit goods trade, seizing fake and illicit items valued at more than R5 million during a raid at a shopping mall in Musina’s central business district on 12 January.
The operation, conducted under a search-and-seizure warrant, resulted in the arrest of three suspects, one of whom attempted to bribe officers to avoid arrest.
“During the operation, more than 2,000 counterfeit and illicit items, including sneakers, clothing, cellphone accessories, perfumes, and consumables, were confiscated,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk.
Two Eritrean nationals and one Bangladeshi national, all asylum seekers, were arrested for dealing in counterfeit goods. The Bangladeshi national faces an additional charge of bribery after attempting to pay officers at the scene to evade arrest.
In a related operation, police arrested another suspect for possession of a stolen vehicle. Separately, officers recovered drugs and dagga abandoned in a taxi after the driver and passengers fled the scene on foot.
Law enforcement agencies have reiterated their commitment to combating the trade in counterfeit and illicit goods, which they say undermines public safety, harms the economy, and disadvantages legitimate businesses.
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