South Africans Rally for Raids: SAPS’ Crackdown Nets R5.8 Million in Counterfeit Goods

• South Africans on social media are calling for frequent nationwide raids to curb the sale of counterfeit goods
• The SAPS seized almost 700 counterfeit items worth an estimated value of R5.8 million in Johannesburg
• The police’s National Counterfeit Goods Unit, which conducted the raid, also arrested two Chinese and two Ethiopian nationals

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered crime and current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.

Many South Africans are calling for widespread store raids to curb the sale of counterfeit goods.

4 Foreign nationals arrested in the raid

The pleas stemmed from the police raid in Johannesburg’s CBD, during which officers confiscated nearly 700 counterfeit items worth an estimated R5.8 million.

Read also

Secunda blaze: Malicious damage to property as 4 cars engulfed in flames

The National Counterfeit Goods Unit raid on 7 June 2024 also resulted in the arrest of four people: two Chinese nationals for possessing the goods and two Ethiopian nationals for contravening the Immigration Act.

According to the SAPS, they seized knock-offs of well-known brands, such as sports apparel, clothing, shoes, perfumes, sunglasses, watches, and bags.

Over the past eight months, the National Counterfeit Unit seized over R400 million worth of counterfeit and illicit goods during several operations nationwide.

South Africans plead for regular counterfeit goods raids

Many netizens questioned why the counterfeit goods raids weren’t conducted more regularly.

@lorrenzom asked:

“But tomorrow they will be operating again nje, so what’s the point?”

@mphokophelo wondered:

“But why is it not an everyday operation 'cause there's too many shops which have to prove where they get the stock?”

Read also

Former SARS employees face R653 million fraud charges

@Simphiw3 said:

“If this operation was everywhere in the country, a lot of jobs would have been saved.”

@takaIYANA questioned:

What is it that is stopping [the police] to do this every day around the country vele?

@1980khehla added:

“This is supposed to be a daily routine to clean the country of all fake goods.”

R3bn worth of counterfeit products burned by SAPS

Briefly News reported that South Africa was experiencing an influx of fake products sold to consumers as the real thing.

The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa's CEO, Zinhle Tyikwe, gave a speech detailing the seriousness of the problem.

Online users shared their opinions on the trend of fake goods, which is common in areas such as Gauteng.

Source: Briefly News