KZN smugglers caught with R1.2m worth of counterfeit goods

Law enforcement officers in KwaZulu-Natal have been applauded for their stellar work in nabbing two smugglers who had allegedly skipped past border security with R1.2 million worth of counterfeit goods.

KZN cops stop smugglers in their tracks

In recent years, South Africa has ramped up its fight against the illegal importation of counterfeit goods. In 2019 alone, more than R5 billion worth of counterfeit goods were removed from the streets of Johannesburg.

While law enforcement, in the short term, may have the upper hand in the fight against the black market, illicit goods are still finding their way past our fragile borders.

The latest major bust happened by chance in Thengani, a small settlement that is located along the Elephant Coast, in KwaZulu-Natal.

According to police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker, officers from the Manguzi district were conducting a random stop-and-search operation along the R22 road on Monday 20 January, when a white Toyota Hilux was pulled over.

Counterfeit goods recovered in stop-search operation

Before the officers could even engage the occupants, the driver suddenly jumped out of the vehicle and “fled the scene into nearby bushes”.

The second occupant, a female, remained in the passenger seat and allowed police to execute a search of the vehicle.

“The female suspect was found in the vehicle with 15 boxes which contained 60 units of cigarettes and 900 pairs of branded sneakers. She was questioned with regards to the goods however she failed to provide police with a reasonable explanation for being in possession of the illicit and counterfeit goods. She was arrested and charged whilst the vehicle was impounded,” Naicker revealed.

The driver was never caught and is still at large. However, the woman has been placed under arrest and slapped with charges related to possession of illicit goods.

KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula congratulated the officers on the stellar work they put into nabbing the suspects and halting counterfeit goods from entering the black market in South Africa.

“It is pleasing to see that operations along our borders are bearing fruits. Our police officers are out in full force and criminals will have no place to hide in this province. We are pleased with the commitment displayed by our police officers as they fight crime and protect our communities living along our borders,” Jula said.